Van and Kiosun
by Empress Tenshi
Summary: Half original, half fanfiction, it's a fun story with all sorts of strange people, vampires, and shounen-ai abound. READ WARNINGS, scenario, and explanation to answer any other questions you might have!
1. Chapter 1

Van and Kiosun  
Chapter 1  
By: Empress  
  
Explanation: I began this about a year ago, and every time I had a free hour or so, I would sit and write on it. It progressed slowly because I had so many other activities to do and at times, my inspiration left me. I was inspired by my love of both vampires and Escaflowne, and twisted the two together in this strange way. This is what came out of it.  
  
Scenario: Zaibach doesn't exist. Allen isn't a part of this, nor is the Moleman or the Duchy of Froid. In fact, I kept very few things the same. This is almost an alternate universe, except for a few things. Van, Folken, their mother, Balgus, Merle, Hitomi, Amano, Yuki, and the lady who grabbed Merle when Fanalia was burning were the only characters I kept. Everyone else is original, so DON'T USE THEM! Unless you get my permission. I took great liberties with certain things...Hitomi's parentage is nothing like in the show, for my own purposes I changed them. Also, the Draconians...I rewrote some of their history, made up a bunch more, and gave them an interesting twist. This story was written for my sake, not anyone else's, and so the changes I made are illogical and sometimes pointless. However, if you like chaos and pointlessness, this is the story for you.  
  
WARNINGS: READ THESE! IF YOU DON'T, I CAN'T BE RESPONSIBLE IF YOU RUN ACROSS SOMETHING YOU DON'T LIKE! There are vampires...this includes bloodsucking, bad puns on names, and references to sex. Also, yaoi, shounen-ai, servant girl bashing, a very mild lime, a wicked Balgus, sap, sap, and more sap. Also, poorly written plot turns, at the fault of my wicked muses and their penchant for death. Van is gay! Don't like it, you are welcome to leave. If you don't mind this stuff, go ahead! Have fun in my romp of insanity! And please, review! (Also, if you happen to see any misspellings or poor grammar, tell me! I try my best, but no one's perfect...) On with the story!  
  
  
  
  
Van Fanel, soon-to-be-King of all Fanalia, threw down the polish rag with a curse. His sword was so shiny it looked new minted. His rooms were as tidy as he could make them, and the maids wouldn't let him near the rest of the palace. Still, he was restless. He had tried music, studies, and sparring, but for the past week, there had been a restlessness that nothing could ease for even a minute.  
  
After a few minutes of useless pacing, he decided to try his luck at the stables. Perhaps there he would find something to do. If nothing else, he could go riding. He stalked out the door, irritation visible on his face. As he passed one of the servant girls, she turned white and her eyes widened in fear. He wondered what could have made her so scared...surely not him? The walk to the stables was a short one, and Van found himself outside the doors before his mind could register it.  
  
Inside, the stables smelled very strongly of horse, but there was a faint undertone of cedar as well, likely from the fire. It was warm, the heat wrapping around his body like a blanket. He paused for a second, standing on the edge of the lamplight. As he scanned the stable's interior, his eyes lit upon a crate with broken harness on it. A needle and leather thread lay discarded next to it, as if the work had been set aside for a few seconds and then forgotten. This was exactly what he needed! Mending harness was not one of Van's best skills and would take all his concentration to keep his stitches straight. He seated himself if the straw and began to piece together the bridle sitting on the top of the pile.   
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About an hour later, Van placed the last bit of leather aside and grabbed wearily for another piece. When his hands met upon the wood of the crate, he blinked, surprised. A quick glance outside told him that it was about a half an hour after sundown. A shadow flicked in the corner of his vision, and Van was on his feet with empty hands...he'd left his sword in his room. As he cursed himself for stupidity, the shadow spoke.  
  
"What can I do for you, young master?" It was a groom, completely unfazed at Van's reaction. The boy looked maybe fifteen...Van himself was seventeen, just turned. Van regarded the mended harness and the restlessness returned.  
  
"Saddle my stallion please, I'm going riding in the woods," Van snapped, annoyed at himself. Why was he so restless? Lately he had been unable to sleep, preferring to walk the dark halls. He loved the dark...it was so quiet, no one to bother him. No fawning courtiers, no hopeful young women... As much as he loved Merle, sometimes she was just too much. She wanted more than he was willing to give...she thought they were more than friends. He fidgeted nervously. Even thinking about the problems he faced made him feel confined, trapped. After what seemed like an eternity, the stable boy returned with his horse... No, it was a different horse than he normally rode. Still, maybe this mare just needed exercise.  
  
"Here sir...I took the liberty of asking the cook for some bread and cheese in case you got hungry." Van turned to the boy, astonished. None of the servants had ever thought of anything like that. They never offered things unless they thought they could get something in return...but this lad had seemed completely honest. Like he really cared? Van took a closer look. He had dark black hair and pale skin. He seemed to wince away from the light and stand in the shadows. He wasn't bad looking either...he looked familiar though...  
  
"What's your name?" Van asked.  
  
"Laike, sir."  
  
"Do you have other siblings that work in the palace? You seem familiar."  
  
"No sir, I'm the only one in my family. Perhaps you've seen my brother in the city though?"  
  
"I don't think so... Never mind. Thank you for the food. I'll try to be back before midnight."  
  
Laike nodded and stepped back as Van tossed himself on his horse. As he galloped away into the city, Van wondered, since when do servants leave their hair loose?   
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The guard at the gate yawned. It had been so uneventful tonight...not so much as a whisper, not even from the town itself. The forest was so peaceful at night...he loved the nightshifts, they were so relaxing. He half-turned as he heard hoof beats on the main road from the city.  
  
"Out for a ride in the forest?" The figure on the horse nodded. "Alright then. I'll open the gates!"  
  
The gates creaked open and the figure waved a gratitude. The guard waved back and shut the gates. He wondered if he should have gotten identification...but no. It wasn't his job to keep anyone in the city... Just out.   
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Van smiled grimly as he rode out of the city. He knew a certain guard master who would have been livid to find security so lax, but he certainly wouldn't complain. The road into the forest was cushioned with pine needles; their sweet scent released as the horse stepped on them. He brought his mount to a trot, wanting to enjoy the night for what it was. The cool breeze on his face, the soft chirping of bugs, a rustle in the trees nearby.   
  
He turned the horse towards the sound, slowing to a walk. When he broke out into the clearing, a small group of deer turned their heads towards him in surprise. When he stopped moving and made no move to hurt them, they went back to grazing, keeping a cautious eye in his direction. He leaned on his mount's neck, enjoying the warm scent. This horse was certainly better than his usual. It was far more responsive and good-natured.  
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Van sat for some time, content to watch the deer graze. All of a sudden, he felt a presence at his back that wasn't *quite* in tune with nature. He whipped around, startling the deer into flight. In the tree behind him, a young man sat...no, not so young. Maybe a year or two older than Van himself. Van regarded the stranger cautiously. He had long black hair, and pale skin. The man here reminded Van of the stable boy at the palace. The same high cheekbones and fine features, the same...Grace. Stealth. The aura of total control of the night. Van cleared his throat awkwardly.  
  
"My name is Van. Van Fanel."  
  
"I know." The words seemed to drop into the silence. Van flushed.  
  
"Ano...who might you be?"  
  
"My name is Kiosun. Ki for short." Van flushed again, uncomfortable, and not sure why.  
  
"Do you have a brother at the palace stables? I think I met him earlier..." Van trailed off. The other man laughed, a deep, rich, sexy sound.  
  
"Yes...you must have met Laike. He's my younger brother. He gave you the horse?"  
  
Van nodded cautiously. "Yeah...I'd never seen her in the stables before. She's sweet."  
  
"We bred her, at my sister's farm. It's a gift, from me to you." The young man laughed again, as Van thanked him. "It was more in self-interest than anything else. I needed a riding companion who had a horse that could keep up. There were a lot of other guys I could ride with, but none, I think, as good looking as you."  
  
Van directed a sharp glance at Kiosun. The other boy grinned. "Nor with your...preferences."   
  
Van gaped. He had been very careful never to tell anyone. If Merle ever found out... She'd be heartbroken. He had never dallied with any of the attractive young men he'd met...he hadn't really ever given them second glances. How could this young man know about his preferences? It was dangerous information. If any of the other people in his kingdom found out, he could be disinherited, or worse, executed. The young man closed his eyes slowly.  
  
"Van...I have been watching you for some time. Your walks in the woods, your aversion to the daytime. You are so very like I was when I was your age. It started when you turned seventeen, didn't it? Changes began to occur, ones that you didn't understand. The daylight becoming too bright, the nighttime becoming so comforting. Let me tell you about your past." Kiosun leapt from the tree landing lightly on his feet. Extending a hand to Van, he kept talking. Van took his hand and dismounted.  
  
"Your mother, one of the angels, Draconians. Your father, the King of Fanalia. Your father, though, has no bearing on what is happening to you now. Your mother, however, is the cause of these changes. Your wings...may I see them?"  
Van nodded. This young man seemed to know everything about him... What difference would it make if his last secret were confirmed? He took off his shirt and spread his wings. Kiosun let out a soft, wistful sigh. "So...beautiful."  
  
Van turned to regard his wings. Throughout his whole childhood, they had remained white, pure. Now however, the tips of each feather had turned gray. His eyes widened. He hadn't flown since he was five, and therefore had not seen them. Kiosun reached out his free hand- Van noticed they were still holding hands- and touched Van's wings.  
  
"I have something to explain to you," Kiosun said as he stroked the soft feathers. Van found it strangely sensual, and shifted, wondering if he really minded this touching. Kiosun smiled gently and withdrew, leaving one last caress. The he continued speaking.  
  
"Your mother is the cause of these changes. Your wings will turn entirely black, your teeth pointed, and soon you will be unable to stand the touch of the sun. Do you know why?" Kiosun was regarding him with a wistful air. Van shook his head, not sure where this was leading. Kiosun turned and began to walk through the forest as he talked. Van followed, hands still linked.  
  
"Van, you are kyuuketsuki. Night Stalker. Prince of Darkness. Vampire."  
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"Nani?! Surely, you aren't serious! Me, a vampire? I am the heir to Fanalia! I still have to complete dragonslaying! I can't be a vampire!"  
  
Kiosun stared at him. "I am serious! Don't you wonder why these changes have been occurring? I have been sent as your guide, essentially."  
  
"A guide?"  
  
"The changes are not easy, Van. You need someone to tell you what they are and how to deal with them. Also, the changes will not occur completely unless a full vampire...I don't know how to say it exactly...there's a ceremony type of thing. Then all the changes will be completed and you will be a full-blown vampire. If you decide you don't want to be a complete vampire, these changes will begin to hurt. Your wings may become useless. Your teeth won't be able to chew the food correctly, but neither will they ever be completely vampiric. Already, your food preferences have been changing, right? Rare steaks, meats and heady wines become more desirable. Soon your cravings will be for entirely raw food. I can help you, Van!"  
  
Van pulled away, filled with conflicting emotions. Him, a vampire? Kyuuketsuki? How could this be? Surely, Kiosun was lying...but why would he lie? There was no real reason... Van shook his head, confused. Kiosun grabbed his shoulders and forced his head up, staring straight in his eyes. "Van, you really have no choice. If you don't believe me now, you can wait for more of the changes to occur. Go back to the palace tonight and tomorrow night come here again and find me. Your horse will remember the way. She is yours now...make sure no other groom besides my brother handles her. Goodnight, Van..."  
  
Kiosun bent quickly and gave Van a kiss on the cheek...then he was gone into the night. Van reached up and touched his cheek, savoring the kiss...then he shook his head. This was foolish... Still, he knew that he'd come the following night. Somehow, this wasn't something he could refuse.  
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Van walked slowly back to the city, leading his mare. His thoughts whirled in agony and confusion. This...how could this happen to him? His mother's fault...none of the other Draconians were like this. At least, none that he'd ever heard of. So, why was this happening to him? He had just turned seventeen...would he never see his eighteenth birthday? Would he never be King of Fanalia? One year left, and then he'd have ruled Fanalia. But now...how could he be a king if he could never step in the sunlight? How could he be king if he had to drink his subject's blood? Before, the only question he had was about marriage, and how he was going to successfully cover his preferences. The country needed an heir, but he wasn't sure how he could lay with a woman without his disgust becoming evident to her...and then of course, she would tell his advisors, and they would confront him.   
  
The question had been very important to him then... Now it seemed an easy thing to cover up. These other things though... They were dangerous. On the other hand, he really had no choice. He had to become a full vampire or suffer the atrocities that Kiosun had mentioned. He shook his head in anguish. Kiosun was right. His decision had been made for him.  
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The gatekeeper saw the same cloaked figure on the road. So, he had made it safely through the forest? There were rumors...rumors of people who had gone in and been attacked. They claimed it was a person, but not entirely human...they had shamefacedly admitted that they were unharmed, but that the person who attacked them was interested only in seducing them... The gatekeeper blushed. Other people's interests were none of his business. How they chose to take their pleasure was their problem...at least the city guard had not been asked to take care of the problem.   
  
He returned his attention to the road and the traveler. The cloaked figure stirred unease in him... There were waves of anger and sorrow radiating from the man...The gatekeeper shivered, frightened. There was danger in this man... He decided to ask whom it was, just to make sure.  
  
"Ho, traveler, I need some identification please." He yelled, his voice sounding weak even in his own ears. The figure nodded and pulled back the hood of his cloak. The guard fell to his knees in the dirt.  
  
"Lord Van! Oh gods...Balgus will kill me!" Van suddenly saw a way to get out the following night.  
  
"So, gatekeeper...what's your name?"  
  
"Ratek, Lord Van"  
  
"Well, Ratek, I can make sure Balgus never finds out about this..."  
  
The guard was practically sobbing at his feet. "Anything, Lord Van!"  
  
"I need to go to the same place tomorrow night. Maybe every night for some time. Maybe you could let me out then... Of course, no one would ever find out."  
  
"Yes, Lord Van! I mean, no, Lord Van! Of course, no one will hear of this! Very good sir!" The guard collapsed in relief. Van grinned coldly. What good luck... Ratek opened the gate for him and Van proceeded into the city.  
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A servant girl intercepted Van the second he stepped into the palace walls.  
  
"Lord Van, Balgus would like to see you. He says it is a matter of extreme urgency. I will take your horse and you may go immediately." She reached for the reins.  
  
"NO!" She jumped back. Van continued, softer. "No thank you, I'll take care of her myself."  
  
She gave him an unreadable glare and flounced off. He made a face at her back and then grinned impishly. Ah, the small pleasures in life! He made his way to the stable and began to untack his horse. She stood rock steady, happily complying with any command he gave her. When he brushed her, she leaned into the strokes, a stupid-happy expression on her face. Van could almost swear she was purring. A tow headed girl ran up to him, hair tied in a tight little bun, a worried expression on her face.  
  
"Lord Van! I can do that, sir!" He gave her a measuring glance.  
  
"Can you get me the stable master please?" She looked terrified that she would be in trouble, but ran off anyway. A few minutes later, the stable master rushed in and bowed at his feet.  
  
"Lord Van?"  
  
Van turned to the mare, patting her forelock. "This mare...I would like for her to be the horse I regularly use now. My stallion...you may give him to Lord Joshin's daughter, Rosalind. She needs a good horse, not that pathetic pony she's got now. She comes on the hunts occasionally. It will be good for her. Also, I want no groom to touch this horse except for myself and Laike."  
  
"Laike?" The stable master looked confused.  
  
"Yes, the groom that came with her. She was a gift from a friend. I know Laike will be around to tend to her. Let no one...NO ONE else touch her. Is that clear?"  
  
"Yes, Lord. I will see to it personally."  
  
"Very good. Now, I'm off to see Balgus. If there is any question on this mare's care, send for me immediately. It's important."  
  
"Yes, sir." Van waved a farewell and walked towards the palace.  
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"Lord Van, how dare you leave the palace without permission! I don't want you wandering around the city unescorted. May I assume you came straight from the stables here? Which means you left without your sword! This is inexcusable behavior for a man about to become king! With your brother disappeared, you are the one in direct ascendance to the throne! If something were to happen to you, your cousin, Kuwaro, would become king!"   
  
Balgus continued his rant while Van pondered the last statement. Kuwaro would make a far better king than he would. Kuwaro had been raised to power...he ran his father's holdings, and he was already betrothed...in fact, he was betrothed to Rosalind... That would be a good match. Her sweet temperament and his solidity. They would probably be the best ruling pair that Fanalia had seen in quite some time. Balgus suddenly whirled around and started yelling.  
  
"Are you even listening to me? Don't you care about the future of your kingdom? I have been mentor and guardian for your family for years, and I don't want a distant cousin stealing the throne that is rightfully yours!" Van interrupted him wearily.  
  
"Balgus, I just went for a ride to steady my nerves. I leave in a few months to the rite of dragonslaying. I am, understandably, nervous. I DO care about the future of Fanalia, more than you can imagine. However, it is none of your business where I go in my free time. Besides, what could go wrong in a peaceful city like Fanalia? I am perfectly safe, and I don't need you mothering me and breathing over my shoulder about everything I do!" Van's voice had gotten sharp and Balgus stared at him, fear in his eyes. Van ignored this and continued.  
  
"Speaking of Kuwaro, I went to the city tonight to prepare for a journey to visit him. We've always been good friends. I leave tomorrow night. I don't know how long I'll be away, but I'm taking a friend with me, and NO ONE else. No guards, no retainers. Just my friend and I. I meet him at the gates tomorrow night. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am rather tired and will need my rest for the journey. Goodnight, Balgus."  
  
Van left and closed the door firmly.  
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Lying in bed, Van found he couldn't sleep. The things Kiosun had told him... At the time, he'd been in a sort of shock. The emotions he'd felt had been detached, like they weren't really his. Now, they struck him. He began to shake uncontrollably, tears leaking from his eyes. He wrapped his arms around his knees, wishing he had someone to comfort him. As if his prayer had been granted, strong arms wrapped around him and a weight settled on the bed next to him. A masculine smell drifted around him, and Ki's voice whispered comfort in his ear.  
  
"Van, I know...shh...everything will be all right. Everything will work out." Van calmed slowly, relaxing as Ki held him. The tears stopped and Ki held out a small cloth. Van wiped his eyes and turned to face him. A bleary question popped into his head.  
  
"How did you..."  
  
"Get in? It was easy. I followed you in the shadows. No one looks too closely at the shadows. It's a primitive fear, but it works to my advantage. By the way, that was an impressive show you put on with Balgus." There was a smile in the other man's voice. "Am I to assume we'll be traveling to meet your cousin then?"  
  
Van flushed, for an inexplicable reason wanting Kiosun to approve. "Ano...I hope you don't mind... But I thought that if I was to...to become...kyuuketsuki, there would have to be another in line for the throne. Kuwaro is the perfect person. He regularly hunts dragons, so the rite would be no problem for him. He also has excellent leader skills...I, on the other hand, would make a horrible king, especially now that..." He trailed off.  
  
"Sounds good to me." Van flushed again. Kiosun continued. "In that case, you should get some rest. I'll stay here and protect you."  
  
Van nodded and slipped into sleep, feeling completely secure for the first time in years.  
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Van woke to a gentle hand stroking his hair. Kiosun was up on an elbow next to him with a positively gorgeous smile on his face. A lamp was lit on Van's bedstand, and the lights of false dawn were filtering through the window. Ki wore no shirt, and his well-muscled chest was gently lit, emphasizing his fair skin. Van blinked sleepily and cocked his head. Ki answered the unspoken question.  
  
"It's about an hour until dawn. I need to be leaving soon to prepare for the journey myself. How long will this journey take?"  
  
Van shook his head. "It takes about six days hard riding. About the same if we covered nights only. We can sleep in taverns during the day. Is that all you need to avoid the sun?"  
  
"Yes. Inns or taverns will be quite sufficient, as long as the windows are barred. I can remain awake and coherent during the daytime, but it is best if I sleep. If that is all, I shall leave now and return to my safe haven. Rest a few more hours and then pack. Meet me at the gates an hour after sunset." Ki bent and kissed Van full on the lips, then was gone, the slowly closing door the only indication that he had left.  
  
Van replayed the kiss in his mind, enjoying the warmth and love that had been in it. Then he shook his head and berated himself for foolishness. Love? How could Ki love him? Ki was just his guide, sent to help him through the changes. It was just his personality, not love.  
  
Van sighed philosophically and closed his eyes to take the prescribed sleep. After all, who was he to argue with a creature of the night?  
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Van rode slowly to the gate on his mare, carefully guiding her through the bustling people waiting to send him off. He had hoped that no one would find out, but evidently, one of the servant girls had been spreading rumors. People of all classes and social standing waved to him, shouting well wishes at the top of their lungs. He briefly thanked the gods that he wasn't riding his stallion. Large crowds had always worried the beast, and made him jumpy. The mare was steady and patient, and while not as showy, was perfectly behaved, even towards the children tumbling around her hooves. All of a sudden, from the opposite side of the square came a piercing shriek.  
  
"Lord Van!" He winced. "Lord Van, take me with you!"  
  
Merle came bounding up, anger written on every hair of her body. "Lord Van, why was it that I was the last person in the whole city to find out about this trip?! I thought you cared about me!!"  
  
Van tried to cut in. "Merle, It's just that I..."  
  
She ran right over his words. "Don't worry, I forgive you! At least I found out in time to pack my bags! My pony will be here in a few minutes, packed up and ready to go, so don't you worry about a thing."  
  
Merle beamed up at him, but Van shook his head. "Merle, you are not coming with me. This trip is a political trip, and you would just be bored while Kuwaro and I talked about political matters. Besides, your pony wouldn't be able to keep up with us, which could add days to our travel time. I should be back in a month or so. And if you're good while I'm gone, maybe I'll bring you a present, alright?"  
  
Van braced himself for an explosion... An explosion that never came. He looked in surprise at Merle, who was shaking her head. She looked at him with hurt eyes, then burst into tears and ran off in the direction of the stables. He stared after her. A matronly woman came to his stirrup. "Lord Van, sir?"  
  
Van looked at the woman, whom he knew to be Merle's guardian. "Yes?"  
  
"Merle will be fine. I had already forbidden her to go with you, so this was just a small act of defiance. She thought if you agreed to it, I might let her go." The woman looked vaguely resigned. Van smiled at her.  
  
"Thanks. I just know she'll be safer here with you. Take good care of her." He turned his horse and continued towards the gate.   
  
It had been sundown when he left the palace, but with the delays in the city, it had taken him nearly an hour and a half to get to the gates. Kiosun was already there, mounted on a showy chestnut stallion, barely suppressing a laugh. Van rolled his eyes towards the crowd behind him, gesture hidden from their view but visible to Ki. Ki just grinned and nodded towards the road.  
  
"Shall we go?" Ki's stallion danced in place, eager to go. Van turned his mare and waved graciously to the Fanalians. They cheered happily as Van and Ki wheeled their horses to the rode and galloped down the road into the forest. As soon as they were safely out of sight, Van reined his horse in and slumped in the saddle. Kiosun's horse was at his side instantly, as Ki supported Van.  
  
"Van, what's wrong?" He asked, worried.  
  
Van straightened wearily. "It's just the crowds. So many people expecting so much from you. It's like they just grab the energy from you. Another reason Kuwaro would make a better king...He thrives in crowds."  
  
Ki made a sympathetic noise. "Well, for the next week, it's just you and I. No crowds, no fawning courtiers or hopeful women. No worries."   
  
Van grinned, hearing an echo of all his complaints. Ki smiled. "Well, we better get going. We'll just take it as a nice easy walk for now. I assume there's no rush to get to your cousin's?"  
  
Van shook his head. "Nope, we have all the time in the world."  
  
An unidentifiable expression flickered over Ki's face and was gone, leaving Van to wonder if he'd even really seen it. Kiosun said nothing though, and turned his horse back to the road. Van followed, pondering the enigma that Kiosun posed.  
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They rode up to the inn about two hours to sunrise. A very grumpy innkeeper was awakened, cheering up only when he saw the gold in Van's hand. He immediately became very solicitous.  
  
"My good gentlemen, how may I serve you?" he beamed at them.  
  
"We'll stable our horses, and when we come in, we'd like one rare steak and two glasses of your finest red. Also, we need..." Van trailed off, but Kiosun continued.  
  
"One room for today and hot baths for tonight. We'll be leaving after sunset."  
  
The innkeeper turned curious eyes on Van, but just nodded. "Yes, sirs, your room will be ready immediately, as well as your steak."  
  
Van and Ki led their horses to the small stable along the side of the inn and began to groom them in silence. When finished, they walked together into the dark tavern room, where a sleepy barmaid was setting their food on a table. She turned back towards the door and suddenly saw them standing there.  
  
"Oh!" she jumped and squeaked, then looked flustered. "I didn't see you come in. Your food is right here and I'll bring the drinks in just a minute."  
  
Van and Ki traded amused glances as she sauntered off to the kitchen, indignation stiff in her back. Van sat down on the hard wooden bench and Ki sat across from him. Van spoke first.  
  
"Was I right to assume you wouldn't want anything to eat?" He was a little worried, and desperately wanted to please Kiosun.  
  
Ki nodded. "Yes. Or at least, I would like something to eat, but somehow I don't think it's on the menu."  
  
Van smiled half-heartedly at the joke, knowing that soon it would be him saying things like that. Ki's grin vanished when he saw Van's expression.  
  
"Tonight, Van, I'll tell you how I became vampire. Perhaps that will set your mind at ease. Truly, it is not as bad as it seems. There are many good points too. You'll see."  
  
Van simply nodded and cut into his steak. The inside was a nice red color and steam rose from it. Placing a piece in his mouth, he realized he had no appetite for it. Ki had been right...the cravings for purely raw meat had intensified. He shoved the plate aside as the servant returned with their drinks. She took away the plate with no comment and left them alone to sip their wine. Kiosun was watching Van carefully.  
  
"You were right, Ki. I guess I am kyuuketsuki."  
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Nothing was further said about the matter; Kiosun just nodded and dropped it, sensing Van's reluctance to speak about it. The two finished their drinks and walked up the stairs to their room.  
  
Van looked around the room and nodded approval. Scrupulously clean, it had a large bed, a washstand, two chairs, and a chamberpot. The bed had fresh sheets and there were towels next to a bowl of water on the washstand. Ki had walked to the window and closed the shutters, making sure they were secure and appeared to be light proof.  
  
Staring at the bed, Van began to feel uneasy. Kiosun had already stripped off his shirt, tossing it into a corner and stretching luxuriously. Van admired the play of skin over muscle, but glanced away quickly as Ki turned his way. Glancing at the bed again, Van sighed. Weren't there any easy answers anymore? The empty bed mocked his silent question.  
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Kiosun exulted when he noticed Van staring at him. So, he was interested! Ki had seriously begun to wonder when Van barely responded to his flirting... It wasn't many that could resist a vampire's charm.  
  
Kiosun noticed Van looking worried...following his gaze, Ki saw the bed. His mind whispered a silent curse as he realized why Van had been skittish since they got to the inn. Van was nervous about sharing a bed. Maybe he wasn't interested after all?  
  
Van briefly let out a sigh and Ki jumped, surprised. Neither man made a move towards the bed. The silence was profound, tension stretching, quivering in the air. Minutes passed as Kiosun waited for Van to move. Van glanced at Kiosun, waiting for him to move. Finally, Ki started laughing, finding the situation very unnatural. Usually, men and women fell at his feet to do his bidding. Even fellow vampires were willing to do anything he asked. Here was a young man who was not afraid of him or awed by him, but simply took him as a friend. Or at least, Ki hoped it was more than friendship... But it seemed as if he would have to court Van in the old-fashioned way!  
  
Ki moved towards the bed as Van stared with wide eyes. Sliding under the covers, Kiosun beckoned him.  
  
"Come on Van, you'll get no sleep standing there! You'll need all your rest for tomorrow night, we've a long ride ahead of us." Van just nodded, and walked over to the bed.  
  
Kiosun grinned inwardly, considering this a battle won. Van slid in beside him, keeping strictly on one side of the bed, body tense, back stiff. Perhaps the battle had only begun... Settling back into the pillows, Kiosun watched Van as he took off his own shirt. Near perfection... Ki's heart ached as he saw the beauty shyly revealed. Vampires in stories were always so beautiful, but in real life, many of them were distinctly hideous. They seemed happy though, and that was all that really mattered.  
  
Returning his attention to Van, he realized that the young king-to-be was staring at him with an odd expression on his face. Unease, uncertainty, and nervousness were foremost, but there was something undefined as well. Also realizing that he was drooling, Ki shut his mouth with a snap.  
  
"Ano, I..."  
  
Van just smiled sadly and pulled the blankets around him. "Never mind. We really do need to get some sleep. Rest well, Ki."  
  
Kiosun nearly jumped with glee. Van had used his nickname!  
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Van stared uncomfortably at Kiosun, as his friend was ogling him. Ki suddenly realized what he was doing and tried to apologize. Pulling the blankets up to his chin, Van brushed it off. "Never mind. We really do need to get some sleep. Rest well, Ki."  
  
Something made Kiosun grin, but Van just turned over and closed his eyes. For now, he would just go to sleep and worry about everything the next evening.  
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A timid knock at the door awakened Van. Opening his eyes, he slowly remembered where he was. An inn room with Kiosun. Somewhere during the day, Ki's arm had slipped around Van's waist. Flushing, Van removed it and padded to the door. Opening it, he saw the innkeeper twisting an apron in his hands.  
  
"Ah, good sir," the innkeeper said, "I was just coming up to tell you that night has fallen. Am I to assume you wish to leave tonight?"  
  
"Yes, of course. Let me wake my companion. We'll saddle our own mounts."  
  
"Excellent. Shall I make you a travel pack? Some food, water? A small extra charge, of course, but no one makes a better meat pie than my wife!"  
  
Van shook his head. "No, we have everything we need, thank you. Here is your payment for the dinner, the room, and a small extra amount for the trouble we've caused you."  
  
The innkeeper beamed. "Thank you, sir!"  
  
Closing the door firmly, Van padded quietly over to the bed and placed a gentle hand on Ki's shoulder to wake him. With lightning fast reflexes, Ki's arm shot out to grab Van's throat. However, Van was already out of the way, halfway across the room, sword grabbed from near their saddlebags.  
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Kiosun sat up, completely awake, and grabbing thin air. "What...where..."  
  
Realization dawned as he glanced around the room. "I...oh." Turning to Van he stared, amazed. The young man had his sword out with a startled but determined look on his face. Ki looked at his hands. Vampires never missed. Their very survival depended on cat-like reflexes. Van may have vampire blood, but he hadn't been made a complete vampire yet...no man should move that fast. Perhaps it was just Van's presence. Perhaps Ki just hadn't wanted to move fast enough to kill.  
  
"Van, I...I'm sorry. It's just reflex anymore. My safe haven could have been ambushed at any time. I got used to sleeping half-awake. Tonight, I slept very deeply. Too deeply. I should not have reacted like that. Can you forgive me?"  
  
Van lowered his sword. "Of course. Accidents happen. Some habits will save you. Others will kill you. Keep the good ones."  
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"It was...about fifty years ago." Van looked at Kiosun, confused. They were riding through a forest, very similar to the one in Fanalia. It may have been a branch of the Fanalian forest...Van didn't know.  
  
"The changes started to happen to me. I began to hate the foods I used to love. Green leafy things disgusted me. Red meats and red wines began to taste good. I never got drunk off the wine though, no matter how much I drank. I was son to a duke, and we had our small court. A high classed lady, a matronly woman, was visiting our court for a few weeks, on a business trip with her father, a merchant. While she was staying with us, she noticed my odd behavior. The restlessness, the food preferences...All the symptoms you are experiencing now. She herself was a vampire, and called herself Sara, though I doubt that was the name she was born with. One night she cornered me returning from the banquet hall. She told me what was happening and threatened to tell my father what was going on. Of course, I didn't want my father to know I was a vampire. I meekly agreed to whatever she wanted. She abused me, putting off the bonding ceremony until it was almost too late.  
  
"The ceremony itself is pretty simple, but I didn't know that. The changes happened to me very fast, and soon I couldn't deal with them. I went crazy during a banquet, and started tearing at the rarest meat the cooks made. Finally, they just brought me a platter filled with raw steaks. I ate them all, gorging until I couldn't eat another bite. The servants carried me to my room while my father tried explaining to the guests that I was just fine. Sara came to my room later that night and performed the ceremony. There was no love there, though, and so the bond between us broke immediately."  
  
Seeing Van's confused look, he explained further. "The bonding ceremony not only completes the vampiric changes, but it also forms a bond between the two vampires. When there is no love in that bond, the vampire bond breaks, leaving the parent vampire perfectly fine, but the child vampire crippled for life. She beat me then left me, broken, bloody, and nearly insane, while she left with her husband. I hated her; I had hated her from the moment she told me what I was. But there was little I could do about it. I left my father a note, explaining that the woman had first poisoned me, then raped me. I told him that for my shame, I could not return to the duchy. I packed my clothes and left.  
  
"At first, I had trouble. I didn't understand how to take my meals, and many of my first victims died. I had torn out their throats. The next few, I took too much blood from, and they died later. Finally, a vampire from a kiss- that's group of vampires- came to see what the rumors were about. A rogue vampire child, whom the parent had abandoned. He found me shivering in an old barn with townspeople and torches surrounding me.  
  
"He saved me from them, then taught me how to take my meals. Seduce the victim, engage in..." Ki paused. Seeing Van's blush, he smiled faintly and continued.  
  
"Then take only enough to live with. Leave, and let them wake up, feeling tired and dizzy, but otherwise unharmed. Living near roads helps, always a meal on the go."  
  
Van felt ill.  
  
"I have been entirely unable to stand the presence of a woman ever since Sara. My father looked for her to kill her for what happened to me, but she couldn't be found anywhere. The vampire from the kiss understood, and told me that sometimes many vampires felt that way. I left him thirty years ago, and I never found out his name. I have lived in Fanalia ever since, looking for more of our kind. One of our duties is to train every vampire we find. Many don't survive the change. Suicide is the only way out. They don't believe that life is worth living as vampires. Van...what about you? Do you think you can live like this? No, don't answer! Over the next few nights, I will show you the best parts of being a vampire. Then, you can tell me how you feel."  
  
Van nodded, accepting it. They rode for a few minutes in silence, Van reflecting on Ki's story, and Ki fighting old memories. Finally, Van broke the silence.  
  
"Ki, I know the myths about vampires, but no facts. How many of the myths are true? And why are we chosen to be vampires?"  
  
Ki thought a moment. "Vampires are creatures of the night. We cannot stand the touch of sunlight. Our skin burns until nothing is left of us but dust. Vampires do drink blood. It is all we can digest except for water and some wines. Our reflexes and strength are superhuman, and we age very slowly. I was seventeen when I became vampire. Fifty years later, I am still seventeen, physically.   
  
"As to your second question, remember how I said your mother was the cause of this? Your mother was a Draconian, a race originally from the mystic moon. One of the Draconians carried a...disease, if you will. He began spreading it through humans on purpose, as soon as he knew what it was. Lucard Rimidalv was his name. When his seed combined with human, a race of vampires was formed. The first bonding ceremony was an accident, when he mated with one of his children. Once he realized that the two factors-his disease and the ceremony-were related, he began to create his own race. One odd thing he noticed was that some human babies got the disease, and some didn't. When studying why, he discovered that the child must have Draconian blood. Two humans cannot produce it, even if one of them is Vampire. So Lucard mated with as many Draconian women as were willing, and spread the disease to nearly all of them. The women never knew it, so their children carried the disease too.   
  
"Now, about a tenth of the Draconian population has the disease. Your mother, daughter of one of Lucard's women, carried the disease. She passed it on to you. Finally, the Draconians realized what was going on. Tracing family lines, they discovered whom it originated from. A law was passed. Any women descended from the original set were forbidden to have children. Your mother was prophesized to meet your father though, and they couldn't change that. They sent her out of their safe city, and she made her way to Fanalia. Hence, you."  
  
Van pondered what Ki said. "So," he began, "You have Draconian blood too?"  
  
"Yes. My father met my true mother in the forest on midsummer's eve. The Draconians didn't know she carried the disease, evidently, so she decided to have a romp with my father. I was born, and she immediately shipped me to his duchy, not bothering to check if I had the disease. He accepted me and adopted me into his legitimate family."  
  
"And you have wings also?" Van asked.  
  
"I do."  
  
Van sat thinking about this. "So, we both came from Draconian mothers. When they carry the disease, aren't they vampires too?"  
  
"No. When Draconians have the disease, it is passive. It does nothing to them, and they don't know they have it unless one of their children shows it. Only children that come as a result of a human-Draconian mix become vampires."  
  
"I see. So my mother never knew she had the disease?"  
  
"She did know. Her mother was one of the women who had gotten the disease from Lucard. The problem was, at her birth, the wisewomen predicted the meeting at the lake with your father. They also predicted two children. The leaders of the draconian city decided not to change fate, so they sent her out of the city. She did meet your father, and there were two children. Folken, and you."  
  
Van paled visibly. "F-Folken? So he's..."  
  
Ki shot him a sympathetic look. "Your brother was vampire too. A lone vampire took him in. They faked his death and he has been with the other vampire since. They love each other very much, Van. I would not wish to part them. You are mad at your brother...you blame him for your mother's death. It was not his fault. When he disappeared then, your mother realized that the disease passed on from her. She realized that you had it too. That was what broke her heart. It neither your fault nor your brother's."  
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Van clenched his teeth, face twisted in agony. Slowly, it softened until Van was silently weeping. Ki pulled Van from his saddle, hugging him close as the boy wept on his shoulder. Finally, Van looked up pitifully at Ki.  
  
"Is my brother really happy?"  
  
Ki's opinion of Van rose. "Yes, Van. The vampire with him is Angelique. She takes very good care of him. Your brother often came with me to watch you. It almost killed him seeing your suffering when your mother left. He wanted to storm in there, kidnap you, and forget the kingdom."  
  
Van smiled weakly. "I can just see him doing that too."   
  
Ki smiled too. "Well Van, we have about five days hard riding left, and I plan to show you everything about Vampires that I can." 


	2. Chapter 2

Around midnight, the two young men rode into a clearing. It was a small meadow with tiny night-blooming flowers sprinkling the serenity. Crickets chirped, then fell silent as the horses neared. Pulling his mount to a halt, Kiosun turned to Van.  
  
"The first lesson begins now." Pulling off his shirt, Ki looped the reins over his horse's head until the fell to the ground. The horse immediately stood rock still. Standing up in the saddle, Ki spread his arms. At the same time, his wings unfurled.  
  
Van stared in awe. Ki's wings were entirely black, reflecting white light softly. Reminding himself to breathe, Van followed suit, though remained seated on his horse.  
  
Pushing himself off the back of his horse strongly, Kiosun flapped his wings to gain altitude. For one moment, he hung suspended in the air, wings spread, silhouetted against the moon's cold white light. Van's breath caught in his throat and tears stung the corners of his eyes. He was…gorgeous. Van glanced away, taking flight in a less dramatic fashion.  
  
Van hovered in the air. "So where are we headed?"  
  
"Well, first we're going to stretch our wings a bit. When was the last time you flew?"  
  
Van thought for a second. "When I was about five."  
  
Kiosun stared at him in shock. "You haven't flown since you were five?"  
  
"Well…my mother told me not to show my wings until the right time. I followed her orders at first because my wing was broken. Later, after it had healed, I told myself that she would shun me if I disobeyed. When she…left, I told myself it was to honor her memory. I've done small exercises with them, but only deep in the forest."  
  
Kiosun's eyes lit with understanding. "Of course…of all the time I've watched you, I never did see you fly."  
  
An errant breeze blew Van back a few feet before he recovered. "Ki, just how long have you been watching me?"  
  
Ki stared embarrassed at his feet, unconcerned that they weren't on solid ground. "Actually, ever since you were five. A rumor started about the second in line to the throne of Fanalia. Supposedly, he had wings, as did his mother. I did some research and discovered where your mother came from. I traveled to Fanalia and have been watching you and your brother ever since."  
  
Van absorbed this. "The boy in the stable, Laike, he's not your real brother, is he?"  
  
"No, he's not. Laike was my eyes inside the palace. He took all the odd jobs. Stable boy, cook's helper. I met him when I met Angelique. When she found out that your brother was kyuuketsuki, she offered to take him. When he left for the dragonslaying, she kidnapped him and explained everything. He did not willingly go with her at first. He kept insisting that he had to return to you, that you couldn't run the kingdom by yourself. He was right at the time, but his absence forced you to become stronger. It hurt him so much when he couldn't talk with you or see you anymore. And that is part of where I am going to take us. Angelique has a small cottage in the woods about a night's flight from here."  
  
Van settled to the ground, absently stroking his mare's muzzle. "So we're going to leave the horses?"  
  
"Only for a few hours. If you haven't flown since you were five, you're not going to be strong enough to make a whole night of flying. Instead, we'll go for a short flight now, and work on your skills. Then we can ride to Lokia and stay at an inn there. Then we'll leave our mounts at the stable there and fly to Angelique's for a few days. That is, if you're in no hurry to get to Kuwaro's."  
  
Van's mare sighed blissfully and leaned into his caress, eyes half lidded. "I'm in no hurry."  
  
"Good. So, feel like flying a little?" Van just nodded and leapt again into the air. Flapping his wings powerfully, he flew towards Kiosun. Ki just beckoned and took off towards the south. Feeling the hint of challenge, Van took after him grinning.  
  
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Ki raced ahead of Van, rotating slowly until he flew chest up. Falling back a little, he flew right under Van. The young heir mock-glared at him. The night air rushed by them both, caressing their wings and skin. Ki inched closer and closer until his mouth was right next to Van's ear.  
  
"Are you up for a race?" he breathed, just loud enough to be heard. Van just peeled away and flew faster, a wild grin on his face. Ki laughed and caught up easily. "You'll have to do better than that! Surely a young sprite like you can beat an old man like me!"  
  
Van sneered elegantly. "Oh really? You're only look about two years older than me!"  
  
"Ah, but you forget my fifty as vampire."  
  
"Makes no difference. Besides, I'm just warming up!"  
  
Kiosun laughed and pulled ahead. "Well then, I suggest we get down to business!"  
  
Madly they raced over the countryside, shadows flitting below them, and the bright moon shining above them. Muscles strained and shoulders flexed, wings pounding the air. At one point, a large pack of ravens were startled awake, and actually raced with them until they became too tired.  
  
Not long after that, the two young men became tired themselves. On a mutual consent, they flew slowly towards a forest grove and touched down at the same time. Van collapsed on the ground, laughing breathlessly.  
  
"I...have never…had so much…fun…in my…life!" he panted. Ki crawled over and lay down next to Van.  
  
"Then…you have not…had a very fun life." Kiosun was panting, but not as hard as Van.  
  
Breathing slower now, Van agreed. "I…guess not. But then, you try living as a prince! All sequestered and guarded. The only real friend I had was Merle. Then she grew up and wanted more than friendship. She wanted my love, the one thing I was unwilling to give her."  
  
Ki propped himself up on one elbow. "Is love then, such a hard thing to give?"  
  
"No, I did love her…" Van noticed Kiosun's face fall a little, then recover. "I loved her as one best friend loves another. We went everywhere together. She was an orphan. So was I. We were drawn together, and were such close friends. Then one day, she seemed to change. She became possessive almost…If any other girl was with me, she was right there, watching that girl with steel in her eyes. Of course, she needn't have worried." Kiosun laughed dryly, knowing where the comment came from.  
  
"So we drew apart a little. She began to annoy me…always pestering me. I wish we could go back the way things were before." Van sighed. Ki nodded sympathetically.  
  
"I had a friend like that. He was male though. We were such great hunting companions and riding companions. We practiced our sword skills. He wanted to be a great knight, but I was content to be a duke's bastard son. After the change, I kept contact with him at night. We still met and talked about everything. Then one day I let slip about what I truly was. It may be that he could have dealt with just that…however, I also confessed to him that I was only attracted to men. He became scared that I would attack him, since he was a healthy young man with an ample blood supply. He went to the church and confessed to the priest everything that had happened. The priest rallied men from the village nearby and drove me out with torches.  
  
"I had long since left the vampire who first took care of me. I panicked and fled to the country, looking for a barn to hide in. I finally found a horse farm and crept into the hay. I stayed up all night, listening terrified for the sounds that the search party had found me. Finally, when morning came, I fell asleep, buried in hay.  
  
"The next evening, the owner of the ranch found me. She opened the door wide to check on her horses, only to find me with blood dripping down my fangs next to an old nag of a horse. The horse was perfectly fine, I made sure not to take too much." Seeing Van's dubious expression, he felt he had to add the last.  
  
"To her credit, she didn't scream, just calmly asked me what I was doing in her barn." Kiosun paused, remembering with clarity how he hissed at her and struck out. She had caught his hand neatly, moving faster than any human could. She had just given him a look of utter disgust and asked what kind of vampire would misjudge such a crucial situation.  
  
"That, Van, was the beginning of my friendship with Angelique. Everything I had not learned from my first teacher, I learned from her. She and her brother, Laike, had been vampires for a few years already, so they are older than I am."  
  
Van interrupted. "Laike looks so young though! Does every vampire become one at seventeen?"  
  
Ki nodded. "Never younger, though occasionally older. Nineteen was our oldest fledgling. Laike was just seventeen when the changes came, but he looked a lot younger, even then. His sister helped him through, and they founded their horse farm together. He seemed to age little, though. At least, not a lot that I've noticed."  
  
Van lay back, regarding the stars in silence. "Speaking of the horses, will they be alright?"  
  
"Yes, they're fine. They'll stay right there unless danger threatens. Then they'll flee, but return as soon as it's safe."  
  
On a whim, Van asked a question that had been in the back of his mind. "Ki, what are their names?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"The horses. Do they have names?"  
  
"My chestnut is called Breeze. Your black is called Coral."  
  
"Coral?"  
  
"Yeah…Angelique picks the names. She told me about a time she went diving in the ocean once, and saw great fields of underwater flowers. The diver with her told her they were corals. She took a small piece home with her, a black spiky rock with pores all in it. She said your mare reminded her of the peace and quiet under the ocean surface."  
  
Van nodded agreeably. "Sounds good to me. Perhaps someday I will see these corals."  
  
Kiosun nearly leapt at the chance. "The next town we stay at, Lokia, is a port city. They have an all-night bazaar and all-night activities. That's part of why I decided to make it our destination. Some of the shops and things there are actually run by vampires. We could go diving there! As I recall, you also promised your kitty-friend a present. That would be a perfect chance to get her one."  
  
Van brightened. "Of course! When will we get there?"  
  
"Well, we have to go back to the horses, which should take us about two hours. If we ride hard, we should be able to reach the city tonight."  
  
"Good, let's go!" Van leapt up, then winced and fell back as his shoulder muscles screamed at him. Kiosun laughed at his expression.  
  
"Poor Van…took it a little too hard tonight? Tsk, tsk, tsk. You, a swordsman, should know better than to overstrain yourself with no stretching first."  
  
Van held his aching wings close to his body. Turning his head, he looked at them accusingly, then did a double take. All the edges of every feather had turned black, and the middles were all gray. Small patches of white still held on valiantly, but it seemed they were loosing their battle against the darker spectrum. Looking at them, Van finally accepted what he was becoming. The reality settled on his shoulders like a heavy cloak. Kiosun, sensing that now was not a time to offer comfort, turned away and walked to the edge of the clearing. Some things needed to be dealt with by ones own self.  
  
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Retracting his wings, Van watched Kiosun make his quiet way to the clearing's edge. Van turned away also, climbing up a nearby tree slowly. The harsh bark was firm beneath his fingers, solidifying his existence. His focus sharpened and became real. Crawling out on a branch, he cut his palm on a protruding twig. He looked at the blood welling. For a moment, he admired the beauty of that crimson liquid. He was free from pain, floating safely away from all his troubles.  
  
Then he felt small pain throb through his arm, and brought the cut to his lip. Licking off the blood, he suddenly saw a million images flash in his mind's eye. Fanalia, safe and peaceful under Kuwaro's rule. Merle, sad because he had left her. He saw his brother, older and darker. He saw Kiosun, a beautiful smile on his face as he held Van close. People, places, lives flashed before him. Emotions ran through his veins and twined around his thoughts. Finally, panic surfaced and he tore his hand away from his lips.  
  
Suddenly he was falling, and then impacting with the soft forest floor. He felt a dull pain in his side, and mentally winced at the thought of the size of the bruise he'd soon have. His eyes cleared and he stared confused into Ki's worried eyes.  
  
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"Van, what happened? Are you all right? What's the matter Van, talk to me!" Ki babbled incoherently, afraid that something horrible had happened. Judging from the look on Van's face, something horrible had.  
  
"Ki… I…" Ki just hushed him.  
  
"No, don't speak, lay back for a second. Breathe. Deep breaths." Van mindlessly obeyed, fear evident in his eyes. Kiosun gathered Van in his arms and quickly checked for broken bones. Seeing that there were none, he also checked for any other wounds. There was a small cut on Van's palm and a tender spot on his ribs, but that was all.  
  
"Are you calm now?" he asked. Van nodded. "Now, tell me what happened."  
  
"I was in the tree…then I cut my palm. I licked it off…and all these awful visions came, and I fell." Van shook, those visions still haunting his eyes. Ki began to curse soundly, naming several unlikely ancestors of Lucard Rimidalv and quite a few anatomically impossible positions that Lucard could get himself into. Despite the situation, Van looked mildly impressed. Kiosun turned his attention back to Van and explained.  
  
"First blood…real blood, not animal…does that to every vampire. They see the tentative future if they continue acting as they do. They can change things, like decide not to become a vampire. Then they die, of course. But if you follow the course of action that you are following right now, that will be your fate. It's not certain…other people change, things happen. But if everything happened exactly, what you saw is what will happen. Now is the time for you to decide. Is what you saw in those visions what you want to happen?"  
  
Van slowly shook his head. "I don't know… Some, yes, I would want to happen…but Merle would be sad…"  
  
Kiosun's heart fell for a second, but nothing showed on his face. "It is up to you. After this time, you will be able to eat nothing but blood. If you do not change, you will die. Starve, perhaps, or perhaps the changes themselves will kill you. It is not yet time for the bonding ceremony…things have not quite fallen into place yet. You are not ready. If you do not change, you will die…and if you do, now, you will suffer immensely. You can survive for a few more days…Hopefully that will be enough time. It is your choice."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Van nodded to Kiosun, feeling safe and warm in his arms. "I will change. I will become Vampire. One vision I saw was Fanalia, safe, prosperous, and happy under Kuwaro's rule. We will make all haste to his castle."  
  
"Yes. You cannot fly…" Van made to protest, but Ki silenced him. "No, you won't. The horses will be fine for a few days. They will make their way to Angelique's when no one returns for them. I will fly for the remainder of the night. If I fly fast enough, we can make it to his castle just before dawn."  
  
Ki spread his wings once more and leapt into the air, Van cradled in his arms. Van wrapped his arms around Ki's neck and relaxed. Though he could not see it, Ki smiled, satisfied.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The first lights of dawn were filtering over the horizon behind them when Ki touched down outside Lamor, capitol of Kuwaro's dukedom. A well-guarded fortress sat on the top of a hill, the city spread out at its foot like a skirt. Shaking Van awake gently, he whispered, "We're here. I didn't want to land in the city because of my wings. Also, it should only take a few minutes to walk to the palace's gates. Can you stand?"  
  
Van nodded shakily and Ki let him down. Ki's fingers lingered for a second, then withdrew reluctantly. Van drew away uncomfortably. Both turned towards the city and walked in.  
  
There were few people awake so early, but those who were stared at them. Van waved them away with authority, and they made the rest of their journey with few problems. One young girl came up to them just before they reached the gate.  
  
"Excuse me, sirs? Here…" She handed them two shirts. Kiosun started guiltily when he realized why the people had been staring at them. Thinking quickly, he came up with an excuse.  
  
"Madam, you have no idea how grateful we are! We were attacked by bandits, they stole our horses, money, and shirts. We were just coming to inform the duke. I will reimburse you for the shirts as soon as those bandits are apprehended." She blushed girlishly.  
  
"Well, my brother, he's about your age…when I heard there were two young men in town with no shirts, I rushed over to see if I could help. I own a tavern over there," She waved towards the west- "and thought you must be in trouble. Now, the duke is always been' generous to us, so I figured we," She gestured towards the few city dwellers- "could help you out a bit. It's not as if we have need of every penny right now. So, if you could put in a good word with the duke, I'll call it fair." She beamed.  
  
Ki bent and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Anything for so fair a woman." She giggled and dashed off. Van was looking at him oddly. Ki shrugged it off, muttering something about the need for shelter in the future.  
  
Van just rolled his eyes and walked to the front gates. The two guards bowed.  
  
"Identification." One rapped out smartly.  
  
"Van Fanel, of Fanalia." The guards immediately saluted and opened the doors. They waited in the courtyard for a few minutes as a page ran off to wake the duke. Soon he returned with summons from the duke.  
  
"Sirs, the duke would like to see you immediately in his private chambers. If you would follow me?" Ki felt the sun at his back, warning him. He felt the stirrings of panic, the fear that he would not find shelter in time. Nudging Van, he nodded towards the East. Van nodded and halted the page.  
  
"Could you take my friend to his room please? A room with no windows, close to mine." The page nodded, not questioning the odd request. They made a short detour to the guestrooms, where Ki bid Van good luck.  
  
"You must convince him, Van."  
  
"I know. It's taken care of."  
  
"Good."  
  
"I'll be back soon…"  
  
"I know."  
  
Van nodded and followed the page. As soon as they were out of sight, Ki entered his room and dove towards the bed. He tucked the covers under his chin as the sun peeked over the horizon. Ki relaxed as he regarded his safehouse. It would work, for now. Closing his eyes, his last thoughts were of Van, laughing as he flew.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Van walked into Kuwaro's chamber with uncertainty. Though they had written each other from time to time, they hadn't truly spoken since they were children.  
  
Kuwaro sat in a large chair near the hearth. Two glasses and a bottle of wine sat on a table, with another chair on the other side. Kuwaro stood up with a smile.  
  
"Van! It's been so long since we've talked!" He enfolded Van in a hug. Stepping back again, he held Van at arm length, inspecting the young heir. Van in turn, glanced over Kuwaro. He was twenty-two now, and looked like a king. Dressed in a brocade nightgown, he still held a commanding presence. He was well muscled and had a few scars from fights with dragons. His face was warm though, and his hug held no reluctance.  
  
"Van, you look like awful! What has happened? Sit down and tell me about it."  
  
So Van did. He explained everything except that he was Vampire, and his odd relationship with Kiosun.  
  
For a long time afterwards, Kuwaro sat thinking. Finally he spoke, voice heavy with some unidentifiable emotion.  
  
"So. Because you are Draconian, you wish to abdicate the throne and fake your death. You want me to seize the throne, and meanwhile you go live elsewhere as a peasant. Am I right so far?" Van nodded. "You think I can rule better than you, so you want the best thing for your country." Though this wasn't exactly a question, Van nodded again. Kuwaro sighed heavily. "So I really have no choice either way."  
  
Van made no answer. Kuwaro stared at him, face deceptively blank. Finally, he took a sip of his wine. "Van, you are hiding something from me. We were friends for so long…what is it you cannot tell me?"  
  
"Cousin, the situation is far more grave than you can imagine. I can take no wife, so there would be no heirs after I die. The country would be rift in the power struggle that followed, and many people's lives would be affected. If I die now, then the obvious heir would be you. Very few would challenge your rule, especially seeing the prosperity of your city. You are already betrothed, and Rosalind would make the perfect queen. You are not too ambitious, so the people would feel safe that there would be few wars or moves to conquer other nearby countries. It would be a brilliant tactical stroke if you could pull it off." Van left Kuwaro to draw his own conclusions about the first part of his reasoning. Kuwaro evidently drew the right ones, for he nodded sympathetically. Van said nothing more until Kuwaro gave his answer.  
  
"Very well. For the good of Fanalia, I will agree to this plan. Am I to take it that no one else knows of this plan?"  
  
"Only one. Everyone else is conveniently in the dark. Balgus doesn't suspect and Merle doesn't know. Those are the only two important ones. No one else knows either, so your rule would be unchallenged."  
  
"Who does know?"  
  
"Kiosun. He was the one who traveled with me."  
  
"Good." The duke leaned back. "So when you leave for dragonslaying, you'll just disappear and everyone will take you for dead."  
  
"Yes. I'll send a message to Balgus that I went early to dragonslaying because I felt ready. When I don't return, he'll assume I was just too foolish, and you will take the throne."  
  
"It sounds perfect. What if something goes wrong?"  
  
"Nothing will. I'll guide everything from where I am. Besides, there are no other contenders for the throne, so your rule will be secure. Balgus will not like it at first, since he's been guarding my family for years beyond count, and feels we have right to the throne, but he will not deny you the right."  
  
Kuwaro stood up. "Fine then. Now I know you must be tired…I'll have a page take you to your room. Sleep as long as you will. I'll be sure that neither you nor your companion is disturbed. I'll also see to getting you some new clothes." This was said with a slight smile. Van clasped hands with his cousin gratefully.  
  
"Until tonight, then."  
  
His cousin nodded and escorted him to the door. "Sleep well."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Van walked down the corridors, sticking to the shadows behind the page. One time his foot stepped into a pool of light, and it felt like his skin was burning. He quickly withdrew and was much more careful where he stepped. The page noted this but said nothing. Van didn't know that later the page went and told Kuwaro exactly what happened, and he also didn't know how long Kuwaro sat up pondering about it.  
  
Reaching his room he collapsed into bed, eyes closed before his head hit the pillow. His last thought was the vision of Kiosun as he held Van, smiling sweetly. 


	3. Chapter 3

Van awoke aching all over. The worst of the pain was in his shoulders and lower back, the muscles that took the most stress from flying. Attempting to lift his arms, he found that he couldn't. He groaned slightly and tried sitting up. Also an impossibility. He lay back, slowly relaxing each muscle. The pain lessened, but he still couldn't move. He closed his eyes and cursed himself for stupidity. Right about then, his stomach also reminded him that it was not happy about being starved for so long. The night suddenly turned an even darker color at being the focus of his anger. Finally, after a good hour of angry cursing, he felt a lot better. Or at least, his thoughts turned brighter.  
  
Unfortunately, it didn't do much for his muscles.  
  
Right then, the door to his room opened and Kiosun strode in. Seeing Van still in bed, he raised an eyebrow. Van glared. Looo~ong pause. Kiosun looked again. And burst out laughing.  
  
Van had no choice but to revert to another glare. It didn't make much of an effect on Ki, but it was a pretty good effort.  
  
"Van, can you move at all?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I'm sorry…I didn't think flying would be so hard, even after twelve years."  
  
Van just sighed. "It's okay. That still doesn't change the fact that I can't move."  
  
An odd light came into Ki's eyes. "Just wait here a second. I'll be right back with something to help."  
  
Van muttered a few choice expletives. "Like I have a choice?"  
  
Ki just flashed a grin and ran next door. A few minutes later and he came back with a bottle of…massage oil? Either that or horse liniment. Kiosun walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed.  
  
"Can you turn over?"  
  
Van nodded cautiously. "I think so…" Attempting this, he found that he could move his legs somewhat. With a little help from Ki, he finally was flipped onto his stomach. Ki opened the bottle and put a little into the palms of his hands, warming it to skin temperature. Van caught a small whiff of the substance. It smelled like…  
  
"Roses and cherries? Ki, where did you get this stuff? I'm going to smell like a lady!"  
  
"Well, the housekeeping service always leaves a bottle of massage oil in every room. Usually it's for warriors who strain muscles practicing, but evidently the last person to stay in that room was a lady. The housekeepers probably never had a chance to fix it…or maybe they forgot. It's standard in all great palaces."  
  
"Oh…"  
  
Ki lightly touched Van's back, daubing a small amount of oil on each shoulder blade and down each side of his ribs. The oil was just slightly cool as Ki began to work it into his skin. Warm hands caressed his back, somehow finding the exact places that hurt the most. Gentle pressure was exerted, but as the muscles lost their tension, the pressure was harder. Fingers worked deeply into Van's skin, loosening and massaging, providing perfect relief for the pain. Cramping was eased away, and Van relaxed.  
  
His breathing evened out and Van began to enjoy himself a little. He began to think about returning the favor to Ki sometime… Surprising himself with the thought, he stiffened and drew away. He still couldn't get used to parts of his preferences…it still seemed wrong, despite the fact that he knew exactly the way he felt. Ki seemed surprised himself and stopped.  
  
"What's wrong, Van?"  
  
"That's much better, thank you." Van judged that about an hour had passed while he drifted, dreaming. His muscles were completely relaxed, and trying tentatively to sit up, found it easy to do.  
  
Thanking Ki again, he pulled on a clean shirt spirited in by some soft- footed servant girl. Clean pants lay next to them, along with a new pair of boots. Toiletries were in the bathroom off his rooms, laid out neatly along the counter. Cold water and a white cloth lay nearby, and a golden rope hanging from the ceiling suggested his course of action if he needed anything else. Retiring to the bathroom, he shut the door firmly and changed into the pants. Once suitably clothed, he stepped back into the room with Kiosun. The other young man was peering out the window at the darkness beyond.  
  
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Sensing Van behind him, Ki didn't turn around. It had hurt, when Van drew away. Ki had been enjoying himself immensely, just spending time with Van… Angelique described love once, when he asked how it felt to be bonded to Folken.  
  
"Like I hold the world," she'd said. "I would do anything for him… If everyone else in the world disappeared besides us, I'd still be happy. I think I'd still love him even if he was a girl." This was said with a knowing wink at Kiosun. "Just a minute in his presence makes me happy. A grin, stolen kisses…they make me fall in love with him all over again. I know he feels the same. Spending any time with him at all is a blessing. I know scribes and storytellers tell about the princess and the prince who fall in love at first sight. I didn't love him…at first. But as soon as I got to know him…the real Folken, not the masks he puts on for everyone else…I knew I'd love him, even if he felt nothing towards me. I'm just one of the lucky ones…he returns my love with all his heart."  
  
Ki had felt very lonely right then… He had no one. Angelique had sensed this and pulled him into a hug.  
  
"Love doesn't have to be romantic, or between a boy and girl…or boy and boy. Love can be between siblings, between friends. The love a parent has for a child and the love that is returned. These are all loves, very important ones. Tell me- didn't your father's wife love you, although you weren't her legitimate child? And didn't your father love you despite the fact that you were a bastard? I know I love you, and so does Laike. Would you deny these loves? They are no smaller than the bond between lovers, simply milder. I know it doesn't make sense now, but it will someday. Just wait…you'll understand. And never give up faith. Faith is a part of what love is made of. You'll find someone."  
  
Kiosun finally spoke to the nervous boy behind him. "I believe your cousin wants to speak to you." His voice was just faintly chilly. Van shuffled his feet.  
  
"Would you like to meet him?"  
  
"It would only be polite for me to thank the host personally. Then we really must leave. We have a few short nights before the bonding ritual must occur. We should probably be at Angelique's by then. They know what is required and will leave us alone for that time. It will also be the safest place." Ki turned around and strode towards the door. Van followed hesitantly.  
  
Ki's stomach rumbled noisily, reminding him that although a vampire could survive on one victim for some time, that time was up.  
  
A few more days, he promised it. It didn't listen.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Kuwaro turned around as his cousin walked in the room. His posture was stiff, but he still seemed to move fluently. A man followed right behind him, the essence of grace. Every move seemed controlled to a hairs length, every expression masked, every thought kept from reaching his posture. The man had dark black hair, a shining wave down to his waist. Parts of it were kept braided, tying the rest of the hair into something that wouldn't get in the way. The eyes were dark blue, almost seeming black in the right light. His skin was pale, as if it had not seen the sun for some time. Kuwaro glanced at his cousin. Instead of speaking, Van glanced down. The young man next to him spoke instead.  
  
"Greetings, your Grace. I trust this evening finds you well?" The young man's manner had slipped into regal court mode, posture politely at attention, face schooled into a look of respect. Kuwaro allowed a tiny bit of his surprise show.  
  
"Why yes, remarkably well. Although, I do not believe we've been formally introduced. I am Duke Kuwaro, cousin to Van here."  
  
"My name is Kiosun, your Grace. I have come here in my own behalf to thank you personally for your shelter and hospitality in the time of our need. Unfortunately, I am unable to stay any longer. I must return to my brother and sister immediately. I will be leaving within the hour."  
  
The duke expressed his deep regret. "Of course…only too well do I know the bonds between family." This was said with a pointed glance at Van. "I will see that a pack is made ready for you at once. Is there anything you need?"  
  
"No, your Grace. I cannot spare the time, even for a small travel pack. Thank you for your kindness. I pray that we will meet again… Farewell, Duke Kuwaro."  
  
The duke nodded and bid farewell. Turning to his cousin, he saw fear and perhaps a little hurt as well.  
  
"Daijoubu desu ka, Van?"  
  
"Hai, daijoubu desu. I had hoped to stay for sometime."  
  
"Why do you not? You know you are welcome."  
  
"I cannot…I promised Balgus that I'd always have Ki at my side. I must leave as well."  
  
This was a lie, the duke could tell immediately. Then, much of what the boy had told him was not the truth…or at least, not all of it. When Van had mentioned not being able to take a wife, his eyes had slid to the floor, guilt in them. The servant's tale about his reaction to the sunlight hitting his foot…and the immediate burn resulting. The story where bandits attacked them was not true either, since neither one had been beaten or bruised badly. Most bandits roughed their victims up a little. Not to mention that the last of the bandits had been cleared out years ago and never dared return. None of this made sense…and while he respected his cousin, he knew that he would have to someday know the truth. Kuwaro managed to look chagrined.  
  
"Of course, I understand. I'll pack you some clothes, since yours all were taken and Kiosun will have some at his house."  
  
"Thank you, cousin. I'll repay you someday, I swear it."  
  
Kuwaro nodded and bid young Van a fond farewell. As the young boy walked out, the duke halted him for a moment. "Van…Roses and cherries?!"  
  
The boy winced. "It was all I could find…"  
  
The duke rolled his eyes. He only hoped the pair found what they were searching for.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Van set a travel bag on his bed and began to pack the clothes that Kuwaro's servant girl had provided him. They were all neat and tidy with the crisp scent of lemon accompanying each as he folded them. Suddenly reminded of his own smell, Van flushed.  
  
Walking into the bathroom, his gaze fell upon the giant porcelain tub that graced the shadowed corner in resplendent purity. Two knobs lay on either side of a spout in the shape of a dragon's head. Van stared at the spout in bewilderment. How was one to work this odd contraption? The Fanalian palace had nothing like this, it was too antiquated for modern plumbing. Looking around for clues of any type, he spotted the gold rope meant for summoning a servant.  
  
Upon ringing it, there was a faint echo below him, and a few minutes later, a panting servant girl ran in. "Lord?"  
  
"Can you please run me a bath?"  
  
"Of course, Lord." The girl sashayed over to the spouts and tapped them. Steaming water poured from the spout, splashing into the tub below. As he stared in wonder, the girl turned back and walked right next to him.  
  
"Is there anything…else you need, Lord? Anything I can…do for you?" she breathed in his ear, a wandering hand making it quite clear exactly what she meant. Van carefully removed the hand.  
  
"No, thank you. Although a bathrobe would be nice."  
  
"Of course, lord. Anything for you…" A heated glance was tossed behind her as she left. Sighing in relief, he began to shed his clothes. That was when Kiosun walked in.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Kiosun walked into Van's room, passing a servant girl on his way in. Van wasn't in his bedroom, but the bathroom light shone through the door and water was running inside. Opening the door, he found Van standing before the bath…completely in the nude. A pair of pants was in one hand, the other hand resting on the lip of the tub. Van's startled gaze met his. Ki felt a blush rise to his cheeks and he cursed his vampiric complexion.  
  
Van spoke first. "Ki…I um…was just…preparing for the journey."  
  
Ki tried averting his gaze, but found himself entirely unable to take his eyes from the beautiful male in front of him. "I'm sorry, Van, I should have knocked…"  
  
Van made no move to cover himself, and a small part of Ki…well, maybe not so small…was intensely happy for it. His heart pounded in his chest as he finally tore his gaze away from the naked boy who so captured his love. Van turned to the bathtub. It was about halfway full and a dull roar came from the pipes, making it hard to hear.  
  
"Oh well, I don't mind." Ki's heart leapt. "The journey…I really need to stop in Lokia to get a gift for Merle…and I really want to see those corals you spoke about. Could we delay our journey for one day more?"  
  
"Van, you know how important it is to become Vampire…has the hunger not hit you yet?"  
  
"The hunger…" Van's voice was haunted. "Yes, I feel it…"  
  
Ki softened. It seemed he could not deny his love anything. "If it means so much to you, of course we can stay there for a night."  
  
"It will be my last day before I truly become kyuuketsuki, or so you tell me. I really would like to make it the best day of my 'life'."  
  
"Anything…" Ki whispered softly. "Van, I love you so much." The roar of the water made it impossible for Van to hear him, but neither of them realized that one more was privy to their conversation.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Isabelle paused outside of the young prince's bathroom. Two voices she heard from inside… Van's and another. Regarding the bathrobe in her hand, she decided to wait a few minutes to make sure she wasn't walking in on anything. Van's voice spoke first.  
  
"Oh well, I don't mind. The journey…I really need to stop in Lokia to get a gift for Merle…and I really want to see those corals you spoke about. Could we delay our journey for one day more?"  
  
"Van, you know how important it is to become Vampire…has the hunger not hit you yet?"  
  
The servant girl's eyes widened. Vampire?! Balgus had connections in every nearby country, inside the servant's quarters, just for safety, he told them. She was to wait on every noble that came and spy on them. She hadn't expected Van until a pigeon came with a message. She had pulled every favor and string she had possessed to get herself in this position. It seemed it had all paid off.  
  
"The hunger… Yes, I feel it…"  
  
"If it means so much to you, of course we can stay there for a night."  
  
"It will be my last night before I truly become kyuuketsuki, or so you tell me. I really would like to make it the best night of my 'life'."  
  
"Anything…Van, I love you so much."  
  
Isabelle knocked politely on the door as soon as the water began to fall with the 'nearly full' sound. A tall man opened it. The man who had told Van he loved him. She brushed past him and turned the water off. The young prince was completely naked and looked uncomfortable. Her sharp eyes noticed that the other man was slightly aroused, but hiding it well. She turned back to Van, handing him the robe.  
  
"Here, lord. Is there anything else?" She put extra heat in her voice to spite the man behind her. Van began to look sick as she rubbed up against him. When he spoke, his voice broke slightly with panic and disgust.  
  
"No!" He removed himself from her grip, not showing any attraction at all. She sucked in air, making her chest larger…not that it needed the extra lift. His eyes went cold and he pushed her away.  
  
"Enough. I have all I need." She shrugged and walked out the door. She could take a hint. Just as soon as these two left, she'd contact Balgus and tell him everything she'd learned.  
  
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Kiosun watched the servant go with trepidation. Something about her wasn't… submissive enough to mark her as an old hand at serving. She couldn't have been a servant for very long, or she'd have given up easier. The regular girls knew to let things lay after the first rejection. Oh well. He'd make a small complaint to the servant master, and let the matter drop. Something, though, still nagged at the back of his mind. He ignored it.  
  
Turning back to Van, he finished what he had been saying. "We'll fly to Lokia tonight. Bathe and make yourself ready. Pick your best clothes…we want to look wealthy enough to attract the right merchants."  
  
"Hai, alright." Van slipped into the giant tub. Ki marveled at modern piping. The bath was huge, fully large enough for five people to fit and still preserve modesty. As he turned away to return to his rooms, he heard an odd rustle behind him and glanced back. Van had spread his wings, apparently to wash them. Unfortunately, Ki knew how hard it was to wash wings. The water kept sliding off, and soap washed all the waterproof oils away so that the wings became saturated with water. However, wings tended to get very dirty by flying through the air, as dust and bugs seemed to be drawn to them. Van hadn't seemed to notice that he hadn't left yet, because he began vigorously splashing around, like a bird in a fountain.  
  
Ki smothered a laugh. With hair straggling in his eyes and water logged wings, Van looked… Ki's thoughts grew depressed. Absolutely breathtaking. And absolutely remote. Watching Van's profile grow disgusted at the sight of his wings, now almost entirely black, with specks of dirt liberally sprinkling them, Kiosun was returned to good spirits. He watched for another moment as Van tried without success to wash his wings. Finally, Ki spoke. "Would you like some help?"  
  
Van started and whirled around, spraying water onto the floor. Eyes wide, he stared. "I…umm… I guess so…" Van stuttered, completely shocked. Ki just nodded and picked up a bottle of soap from the table by the bath. Working it into his hands, the sharp smell of marigolds drifted through the room.  
  
"Seriously, Ki, can't you find anything better?"  
  
Ki grinned merrily. "Nope!" Van groaned. Ki gently turned Van around until his back and wings could be easily reached. Gently working the soap into Van's wings, Ki began to hum an old tune his foster mother had sung for him.  
  
Van slowly relaxed, wing muscles loosening just as his back had earlier that evening. A white lather arose from his wings, a few stray bubbles drifting in the air. After a few minutes, the lather was more gray than white, and Ki knew the dirt had given up its hold. A small pitcher sat under the table, perfect for rinsing. Filling it with water, Ki upended it over Van's wings, soap streaming off in rivulets.  
  
His breath caught at the beauty and how far it was from him. How could he make Van love him before the bonding ceremony? He definitely had to talk to Angelique.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Van started as he heard Ki behind him. His mind caught up with him as he stuttered his agreement to something Ki said. Realizing what he'd agreed to, Van inwardly sighed. Ki tempted him so much… Little glances, words, his very being made Van want to reach out and touch him…At the same time, Van felt scared. Afraid of what he was becoming…afraid of what he already was. The very newness of this relationship.  
  
When he was fifteen, he'd tumbled with a servant girl. All of Balgus's men had talked about girls at one point or another, without realizing the young prince was listening. He'd expected more…pleasure, especially from the way they talked about it. Instead, it felt unnatural, wrong. He'd tried later, with a different girl, but with the same results. It held nothing for him. One day, a few months after his second attempt, he saw two older pages kissing in the hall. Both of them were male.  
  
This concept startled him, but at the same time, he felt a yearning for it. When the two boys found him watching, they immediately broke apart in a panic. He assured them that no one would hear about it from him…and he'd kept his word. Later, one of them came to his room and asked why. He'd explained.  
  
"I promised not to tell because sometimes I feel like you two do. Girls…they disgust me, and I want no part of them. But what you two were doing felt like what I should be doing. I felt like it should have been me."  
  
The young man had understood, and showed Van what it was like to be loved by a man. And Van learned exactly what his preferences really were. The boy had thanked him and left. They'd never met again. But ever since then, the thought of a relationship with a female disgusted him. Instead, he found himself watching handsome young men, and silently yearning after them. He'd never breathed a word about it. But Kiosun had known, had been watching him turn females away. Had noticed his gazing at the young men. And Van found himself falling in love with the handsome young vampire.  
  
Still, it was only his second relationship with a man. Van wasn't even sure the first one counted…it had only been one night, after all. It just felt odd to yearn after another man this much. Every moment spent with Ki was a pleasure, a moment to be treasured. Van skittered from the thought. All the echelons of society repudiated those lovers of the same sex. His rearing had warned him never to betray his feelings. So, he hadn't. But this was new…it made him want to defy society and all sense of propriety, and love Ki and to hell with it. Alas, he still felt odd about this new relationship. As soon as he was a vampire, and far away from Fanalia, maybe he would tell Ki how he felt.  
  
Forcing himself to be content with that, he relaxed as Ki washed his wings and hummed a sweet tune. Pouring water over his wings, Kiosun rinsed the last vestiges of soap from Van's wings. His very drenched wings. Ki began to laugh. Van turned around, mock glaring.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Oh my…you look like…" He couldn't stop laughing. Glancing in the mirror behind him, Van began to laugh as well. He looked like a miserable raven after a thunderstorm.  
  
Soon they were both laughing helplessly, and every time they calmed down, a glance from one would set them both off again. Finally, they just couldn't laugh anymore, and collapsed, spent. After a few minutes of companionable silence, Van grabbed a washing cloth and finished washing the rest of himself, realizing that to salvage his dignity now would be pointless, and not really caring if Ki saw anything. Ki watched silently, a small gleam in his eyes, though from laughter or something else, Van couldn't tell. When finished, Ki handed him a towel as he stepped from the tub. Nodding his thanks, Van turned to drain the water.  
  
Ki's hand reached around him and pulled a small knob on the spout. A click was heard and then the sound of water running off elsewhere. Turning away, Van found himself nose to nose with Ki. Their breaths mingled and Van froze. Ki searched his eyes, looking for something.  
  
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All that was reflected was uncertainty. Ki turned away, a small noise of sorrow escaping his lips. Nothing. There was no love in those eyes. He walked towards the door, but as his hand turned the handle, Van's hand fell to cover his. Half turning, Ki looked at Van.  
  
"Ki, will you help me dry my wings please?" Ki nodded shortly, again searching those beautiful dark eyes. This time, there was something… A slight softening, a change in light? He wasn't sure. Turning away, he snagged another towel.  
  
Beginning at the bottom and working his way up, Ki gently chafed the feathers, drawing away the moisture and caressing them at the same time. Van had the other towel wrapped around his waist, and it fell all the way to his ankles. At least this palace wasted no luxury.  
  
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Van shivered slightly as Ki dried his wings. It was so…sensual. Like the first night they'd met. The towel around his waist seemed a little tight, so he surreptitiously loosened it. Finishing with one wing, Ki moved to the other, completely drying each feather before moving to the next. In a few minutes, his wings were entirely dry. As Ki again turned to leave, Van said, "Thank you, Kiosun."  
  
This quiet statement fell into the gentle silence and Ki nodded. "You are quite welcome." Without another word, Ki left, leaving a very much bewildered ex-prince behind.  
  
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By flying the remainder of the night, they reached Lokia an hour before dawn. Kiosun silently guided Van to an inn, where the owner and his wife were actually vampires themselves. They politely introduced themselves to Van, leaving out the vampire part, and when Ki explained that Van was his new "student", they nearly went into shock.  
  
"Fifty years it's been, Kiosun, and now you choose whom you will induct?!" said the man.  
  
"Oh, Kiosun, I'm so happy for you!" gushed the woman. "I know you two will- "  
  
Her husband gently elbowed her at Ki's warning glance. Van noticed this exchange, but did not comment. The husband then spoke heartily. "Any friend of Kiosun's is a friend of ours. The windows all have heavy shutters and several have no windows at all of course, for the true vampiric clients. Which would you prefer?"  
  
"No windows please. We will be staying today and tomorrow, then leaving for Angelique's. For the ceremony, of course."  
  
"Of course. Now, if you'll follow me to your rooms?" The innkeeper guided them to their room, gave them a key, and warned them that no one would be awake during the day except for the hired help. Van nodded and walked into the room after Kiosun. Another single bed. Sighing over his odd fate, Van stripped his shirt and began the exercises to keep his wings limber and pain free. After running through his full repertoire, he slipped into bed next to Kiosun, who'd been watching him with approval.  
  
Blowing out the lamp, Van pulled the covers to his chin and fell deeply asleep, worn out by everything that had happened. Ki stayed up a few minutes longer, admiring Van's sleeping figure, then resolutely turned over and went to sleep.  
  
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In the evening, just after sunset, Van woke up, encircled in Ki's arms. Both arms were snugly wrapped around his waist, effectively trapping him. From the soft even breathing in front of him, Ki was asleep. Unless Van woke Ki up, it would be rather difficult to get out of this embarrassing position. Opening his eyes, he found Ki watching him silently. When Ki noticed he was awake, he began to speak in a husky whisper. "I didn't want to wake you up so I didn't move.  
  
Van flushed deeply. "It's ok, I had the same thought." There was a long pause. Finally, they both drew back at the same time, embarrassed. Van located his shirt and tugged it on, pleased that his muscles weren't bothering him.  
  
Ki stood and dressed behind him in a soft blue velvet shirt and black silk pants. Looking at his own clothes, Van winced. Ki laughed and handed him a matching set of clothes in red and black. Dressing quickly, Van turned to Kiosun with a cheerful gleam in his eyes. "Can we go now?"  
  
Ki laughed. "Of course! Where would you like to go first, the market or diving?"  
  
Van considered. "How about the market? Then we can take our purchases back to the room and go diving."  
  
"Sounds good. Follow me?" Kiosun swept out of the door, proudly leading the way for his eager young friend.  
  
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The marketplace was packed with people shouting their wares as others tried to haggle the prices. The entire square was lit up as bright as day, and everyone seemed cheerful. Van stared about him with wide eyes, trying to comprehend such a large nighttime market. Trinkets, swords, fine jewelry, and food were in abundance. Glancing about, he tried to think of gifts for Merle.  
  
Ki led him about the market, showing him all the stalls and stores. Van laughed and joked as they walked, and picked out all the things he wanted. A new cloak for himself made from deerskin, a necklace for Merle with seashells and foreign coins on it, several new sets of clothes, and a fuzzy wool blanket with cats and birds chasing each other around the edge. When Ki's back was turned, Van impulsively bought him a brand new dagger with an odd black owl's head with glittering eyes. It had a grace and danger that seemed to fit Ki so perfectly…tucking the package away with the rest, Van also bought himself a dagger, this one with a dragon on the hilt.  
  
Hooking the dagger in his belt, Van turned to find Ki just finishing his purchases. He grinned. "I'm done shopping, how about you?"  
  
Ki winked. "I'm through. Now…let's return to the inn and then go diving. We have about four hours until dawn, and we need at least two for the diving tour."  
  
"Great, let's go!" They both raced back to the tavern, laughing. Hiding their purchases in their bags, Van pulled out the remainder of the money his cousin had given him.  
  
Ki peered over his shoulder. "Huh. Looks like enough to buy our own little farm."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Truly. We could start breeding horses of our own, starting with Coral and Breeze. Angelique would be willing to lend us studs too, and we can get more mares. We could build a cozy little cabin just for us, and live there happily for eternity."  
  
Van sighed. "It sounds so perfect."  
  
"It'll be just ours. Forever."  
  
Van winced, reminded that he still wasn't sure how he felt about Kiosun. "Forever…" he echoed.  
  
Ki grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the door. "Come on, we have to get going!" Van followed, all other thoughts dropped from his mind as he imagined what the famed corals would look like.  
  
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Before them stretched out a panorama of colors. Every shade of red, every shade of blue, every shade of green caught their eyes and clambered for attention. Brightly glowing fishes swam curiously past their boat, butting their noses against the clear glass sides. A small staircase led to this tiny room, just big enough for two people. The walls and floor were made of glass, and the wooden boat above was slowly floating in a circle around this incredible reef. The corals themselves were glowing gently in the darkness of the sea, all different shapes and sizes. Some looked like fingers, reaching up to grab passing animals. Once Ki swore he saw a fish snatched up and stuffed into the nearby rock. Van stared around with wide eyes and an eager smile on his face, wonder in his expression.  
  
Ki stared at his young friend, taking extra pleasure from the amazement that had Van so captivated. Admiring his beauty for the fiftieth time made Ki's heart ache even more and he was strongly reminded that he had very little time left. His stomach was nearly wrapped around his spine, hunger making him weak, and the strenuous activities of late had only emphasized that weakness. Every once in a while he caught Van with the Hunger on his face… Ki had to make Van love him before the ceremony or the pair would be split forever, causing great anguish to the new vampire. Setting this aside to worry about when he had a chance to talk to Angelique, Ki once again turned his wandering attention to the wonders that the ocean held. 


	4. Chapter 4

Balgus stared coldly down at the girl prostrate on the floor in front of him. If he remembered correctly, her name was Isabelle…and of course, his memory was never faulty.  
  
The girl had ridden in on an exhausted horse from Kuwaro's duchy, where she had been a spy in his house. Sending word with another messenger, she had informed him that she had very important information on Van Fanel… Balgus had sent for her immediately to come to his private chambers.  
  
"So…what news have you for me that was important enough to blow your cover?"  
  
Isabelle winced. "I told the others it was a family emergency."  
  
"What lies you told them is not a concern of mine at this time. What I need to know is what information you have for me?"  
  
The girl explained her actions after Van had summoned her, up until she hovered outside the door. When she paused, Balgus prompted her.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Well, Van and this other young man were talking. Van was saying that he didn't mind about something and asked if they could travel to Lokia. The other man said, don't you realize how important it is to become vampire? And he said something about doesn't Van feel the hunger? Van said yes, he felt the hunger, but wanted to stop anyway. The other man agreed."  
  
"What else?"  
  
"Well, sir, Van and this other man are lovers."  
  
Balgus stopped cold. "Lovers?"  
  
"Yes, they pledged their love."  
  
"So…you come here to tell me that my student is not only a vampire, but in love with another man?" Balgus turned white with restrained fury. The servant sensed this and just nodded sharply, perhaps afraid of his wrath. The warrior turned around abruptly and leaned his forehead against the wall panting, as he thought this over. Reports of rape in the woods had ceased the same time that Van left…and all the victims swore that the man who seduced them had bitten their necks. Balgus hadn't believed them then, but now…? Obviously this other young man was the vampire, and had convinced Van that he was too. Perhaps, he was… Balgus had never approved of his liege's wedding to that horrible demoness. This disease must have come from her!  
  
Swearing in several different languages, Balgus whirled back around to face the rebellious girl. "Do you have anything else of interest?"  
  
"No, lord. I have told you everything I know." She stood up, hips swaying seductively. "Will you be…needing me any further?"  
  
He ran an eye down her figure. "A full description of Van's companion would be nice." She pouted but complied, telling him everything she'd noticed. After she was through, Balgus took her hand and thanked her. She pressed up against him as he led her to the exit, shutting the door firmly.  
  
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The captain of the guard stared down at the orders he'd just received from Balgus.  
  
"Deploy all troops immediately to find and capture Van Fanel. Also, capture his companion, a tall young man with long dark hair and eyes. Beware…they will resist arrest. Use all means at your disposal. Last known location, Lokia."  
  
It was signed with Balgus's seal. And that was all. The guard captain snorted in disgust. For all that Balgus was a master swordsman and supposedly expert strategist, he obviously had no idea how to track down a criminal… At this, the captain frowned. A criminal…their king. This didn't seem right. Master Van had left to visit his cousin…so why did Balgus want him tracked down? Shaking his head at politics beyond him, the captain reluctantly gave orders for his men to pack up and move out.  
  
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The next evening set dark and chill, waking Van with its unnatural silence. This time when he woke in the inn, it was his arm wrapped around Ki, not the other way around. Withdrawing quickly, he shook Ki awake. Looking around with bleary eyes, Ki sank to his pillows.  
  
"Ai…so tired." They had spent last night admiring corals and the other great sights of the city, walking around for at least an hour. Van nodded sympathetically to this last statement. Kiosun reluctantly hauled himself from the warm cocoon of blankets and pulled on a rumpled shirt. Van pulled on his own shirt and rinsed his face with water from the basin.  
  
"So we leave for Angelique's?" He asked.  
  
"Yes, immediately."  
  
"Hai, alright." Van threw his few belongings in his pack and slung it from his elbow. Ki followed suit, and soon they were on the edge of the city, after having thanked the pair of vampires who ran the inn.  
  
"Ready to go?" asked Ki.  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be." The two young men stripped their shirts off, tied their bags around their waists and launched themselves into the sky, wings beating powerfully towards the west. Neither one saw the pickpocket who'd followed them to the city limits stare wide eyed as she watched their odd departure. Nor did they ever find out who sold them out to the Fanalian guard six hours later.  
  
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Angelique scanned the sky nervously for her foster brother. Ki was nowhere to be seen, nor was Folken's brother. Folken himself was inside, having declined her invitation to join her while watching for Kiosun. She half- smiled to herself at the thought of Ki returning. That little trickster was always getting himself in trouble so innocently! And this time, his biggest jump ever…he had finally picked his lifemate. The irony of it also being her mate's brother was somewhat surprising.  
  
When Vampires bonded, they mated for life. At least, most of the time. There were far too many cases just like Kiosun's, where the elder vampire deserted the younger. Which was a good thing in the long run, for the race to survive. After all, every once in a while, the bloodlines traced by the Draconians were faulty, and new vampires showed up about twice every fifty years. These new ones needed elders to induct them, and if everyone bonded, there would be no free ones for the new vampires. Still, there were all too many cases of heartsick young vampires going rouge and attacking whole villages in their rage. Ki had been one of the few to recover completely. She had been another. Laike had been the first she'd changed and only because she was his sister. Together they'd decided to choose other lifemates.  
  
Wait…on the horizon… Angelique peered into the faint light cast by the moon… Two figures, flying strongly in her direction. It had to be Van and Kiosun! She hurried back to the cabin, a grin spread across her face.  
  
"They're coming! Ki and your brother are coming!" Folken looked up at her from the table. His eyes were haunted. He said nothing. Her grin faltered, then disappeared.  
  
"You're nervous. You think he'll repudiate you."  
  
Folken looked away. "Yes. Why shouldn't he? I left, without telling him. I never contacted him…I gave him no reason to believe I was still alive. I may have caused the death of our mother…she disappeared too, and we still don't know where she is."  
  
"You know I believe she returned to Draconia."  
  
"Yes. But we don't know for certain. Remember, they don't associate with vampires." The last word was spit out resentfully. Angelique sighed as Laike tried to make himself invisible in the background.  
  
"At least we associate amidst ourselves. You must accept his feelings, Folken. I know he'll accept you. I'll leave you two alone for a while when they get here. I'm sure Ki and I have a lot of catching up to do, so you should have plenty of time to work out your differences."  
  
Folken nodded. Angelique walked out the door to greet her foster brother and his newly chosen lifemate.  
  
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Van peered in the direction Ki pointed, and could just make out a tiny figure waving to them next to a warmly lit cottage. As they got closer, Van could see a beautiful woman who looked about twenty-three. She had ash- blonde hair and a mature figure. She wore a brown dress and had her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Van glanced at Ki, who had a huge smile on his face. Ki sped up a bit, but Van fell behind. Emotions twisted his heart and clouded his mind. Finally, after years of not knowing, after so many sleepless nights of wondering, he would see his brother again. Ki turned his head to look back at his reluctant young friend.  
  
"What is it? Or need I ask…this is about your brother, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes. I don't know what I'm feeling…It's like I should be angry with him, but I'm not. I just want to be his little brother again. But what if he doesn't forgive me? After all, I almost stopped believing in him."  
  
"Van, that's ridiculous. Do you honestly think your brother would be mad at you for that? He wants forgiveness just as much as you do. Show him you still love him. That's all he wants."  
  
Van nodded, still uncertain. Ki grinned and grabbed Van's hand, pulling him along faster.  
  
"Come on, let's go!" With no choice, Van flapped faster.  
  
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Ki touched down in front of Angelique and was pulled into a very enthusiastic hug. Laike walked over with a grin on his face and hugged both of them. Just beyond Angelique, Ki could see Folken paused in the doorframe. Van stood behind the group of vampires and stared at his brother. The threesome pulled back, and there was a very awkward silence as the tension between the brothers lengthened and stretched.  
  
Both brothers moved at the same time and embraced, holding tight as if they'd never let go. At a discreet signal from Angelique, Ki followed her inside to one of the bedrooms, Laike trailing behind. She turned to him and hugged him again.  
  
"Foster brother! How I have missed you!" She held him at arms length and scrutinized him carefully. "You look like Hell. Something tells me things are not going to plan."  
  
He collapsed onto the bed and threw an arm over his eyes. "Oh sister, you have no idea." She sobered immediately.  
  
"Tell me." So he did. He explained his entire journey to her, leaving out nothing. When he finished, she let out a sigh. "I see your problem."  
  
"Yes. I must make him love me before it's too late. If not, the transformation will be very painful, and tear us apart, causing no end to the anguish he will feel. The bonding ceremony works quite well, even if there is no love…but if there is not…"  
  
She finished for him. "Then the pair is unable to stay together. The betrayal is too great."  
  
"The love survives when it is there, with few other effects. I love him so much…I just don't know if he feels the same."  
  
She considered this for a moment. "Well, what have you tried so far?"  
  
He groaned. "Everything, and nothing seems to work. It's driving me crazy!" He paused then continued.  
  
"We spent a whole day together at Lokia, talking and laughing. We looked at the corals in that tiny boat, and then slept together in the tiny beds they have at the inn. No matter how close we got, he drew away every time I made an advance. Every time I think I made some progress, he stiffened up and just became untouchable. I've nearly given up hope! I know I'm right about his preferences, he admitted as much himself."  
  
She absorbed this in silence. Finally she spoke. "Well…it looks like you're right. Until he admits he's in love with you, even to himself, then this bonding won't work. You'll be unable to stand each other."  
  
He snarled. "You think I don't realize that?! I love him too much to wish that kind of pain on him. Maybe it's best to let his brother conduct the ceremony."  
  
She glared at him. "That's not up to you."  
  
"Nor to you! Folken is his own man, and he can decide for himself whether he wants to conduct the ceremony. When he and Van finish making up, then we can ask him."  
  
She countered swiftly. "Yes, but what if the love between the brothers has been strained beyond bearing? The ceremony wouldn't work then either."  
  
He turned on her swiftly. "Then we have more than just a little problem, don't we? We'll have a half-mad, rouge vampire on our hands."  
  
She sighed. "Let's not fight, Ki. We need to unite in this, if we want it to be solved."  
  
He softened and hung his head. "I'm sorry, sister-love. It's just been such a hard week. To be so close to the one I love and be entirely unable to touch him."  
  
She walked over and settled down on the bed beside him. Laike had remained silent throughout the tirade, but spoke now in his quiet tenor.  
  
"He may not have responded to you because he is afraid." The other two looked up quickly. Laike did not speak often without reason, and what he did say was carefully reflected upon and, more often than not, entirely accurate.  
  
"What?" Ki was the first to speak.  
  
"If what you have told me is true, he did not make his preferences public, and would have been shunned for it if he had. It may be that he still feels the need to hide his feelings. Habit, if you will. So when he finds himself responding, he backs away so that he doesn't show what he truly feels." Laike settled back, apparently satisfied that his point had been made. The other two nodded cautiously.  
  
"That could be true…" Ki capitulated. Angelique nodded agreement. In the surge of emotion that Ki felt, blackness tinged the side of his vision, then roared its way free, surrounding him as he fell against the bed.  
  
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Van felt hot tears make tracks down his cheeks as he held his brother, who for so long was lost to him. Folken clutched at him as if he could hardly believe he was real. For how long they stood like that, Van could never be sure. But finally they did draw apart, and Van found that he was not the only one crying. His brother beheld him with wonder.  
  
"Oniisan…" Van whispered. "My brother…"  
  
Folken stared long and hard at Van. "You've changed so much…"  
  
Looking at Folken, Van realized his brother looked exactly the same as when he'd left. "You haven't changed at all."  
  
With this, the tension was broken, and the brothers walked into the house, chatting about the events that had occurred in Folken's absence. Folken told of how he'd watched Van, every once in a while, and how he had longed to return. Van spoke of how he had longed for his brother's return and had finally given up all hope. Folken smiled sadly at this, and hugged Van.  
  
"Can you forgive me for leaving?"  
  
"Of course I forgive you… Can you forgive me for not believing in you?"  
  
"With no regrets. Aishiteru, Van."  
  
"Aishiteru, ani."  
  
All of a sudden, a gasp came from the bedroom, and both heads swiveled to regard the closed door. The door then crashed open and Angelique came through. Taking a small glass of cold water, she returned to the bedroom, offering no explanation. The brothers exchanged a glance and followed.  
  
Ki lay on the bed, deathly pale. Angelique poured a small amount of water into his mouth, with no noticeable change. Van rushed over to Ki's side.  
  
"Kiosun? Ki, talk to me!" He was nearly frantic, and entirely unsure why. From off to his side, he heard Laike mutter to Angelique.  
  
"I guess that answers our question." Whether she replied, Van didn't know, for at that moment, Ki's eyes fluttered slowly open. Angelique was immediately at his other side.  
  
"Kiosun!" she cried. "What happened?"  
  
"I…" Ki's reply was weak. "The hunger…I haven't fed since five nights before the night we left Fanalia."  
  
Angelique counted the days. "Ki, that's nearly two weeks! A vampire can only survive for so long without feeding!"  
  
"I know…I think I've reached that limit."  
  
"Why? Why did you strain yourself? Here…" Angelique bared her neck and bent down. Ki turned his head aside and tried weakly to push her away.  
  
"No…"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Remember…my blood must be untainted by another's for the ceremony."  
  
"And you didn't expect the ceremony to be held off for so long." There was no answer. Angelique sighed. "Very well. Tomorrow night, Laike, Folken and I will travel to Lokia to stay for several days. That should give you the privacy you need. When we return, I fully expect the ceremony to be complete. Regardless of whether you think he is ready. He has most likely not eaten since he left, either. Perhaps longer, since he will have been unable to digest anything but raw meat."  
  
Van nodded guiltily. "I haven't eaten in a week."  
  
"You will be able to after the bonding. Now, Van and Ki, you will sleep here tonight. Folken and I will be in our bedroom next to this one, and Laike will be in his. Get some rest…" Angelique blew out the nearby candles as the first feeling of dawn made the skin crawl on Van's back. The other three vampires left, closing the door softly behind them.  
  
Van helped Ki get into the bed completely, and covered him up tightly. Slipping in next to him, Van relaxed slowly, staring at the ceiling. Soft even breaths beside him told him that Ki was sleeping…though from his experience in the inn at Lokia, that wasn't a sure sign. Rolling over, he closed his eyes tightly, relieved to be safe and reunited with his brother. He could worry about the rest of it some other time.  
  
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Ki awoke to insistent shaking by Laike. The young man bent down close to Ki's ear.  
  
"Ki…can you wake up a little? Angelique wants me to go to Italville to prospect some mares for breeding, so I leave now. Everyone else is still asleep. It's about ten minutes after sundown. In another hour or so, Folken and Angelique will leave for Lokia. If you're not awake by then, they told me to tell you farewell for now. Now, I've got to go. Rest some more, and restore some of your strength. You'll need it for the ceremony." At Ki's bleary nod, Laike bestowed a soft kiss on his forehead, and walked silently out of the room. Ki turned over and began to snore softly.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
The guard captain put the spyglass to his eye as a black winged figure rose from the trees about a mile ahead of them. Though the figure matched the description in the letter, he looked far too young to be the man they were looking for. Still, one vampire was better than none.  
  
The captain had done a little research after reading the dispatch sent by Balgus. The girl who brought the information had been found and agreed to repeat all she'd learned…for a price. Though expensive, her information was well worth it. Traveling to Lokia, his men had searched and found the inn where the pair had stayed. A street urchin hanging about the inn had told them what she'd seen. Also for a price. A price returned, as soon as they'd killed her. So the captain and his men had set out due west, fanning out in the trees for likely hiding places. Finding nothing but farmhouses, they stationed themselves where anyone flying could easily be spotted.  
  
The sentry at his side cleared his throat. Brought back to the present, the captain began issuing orders. "Alright men, fan out and find the cottage he flew from. Once there, surround it and wait for my orders. Move!"  
  
The well-trained men moved silently through the forest, leaving no trail and making no sound. The captain followed, just as silently. When they reached the cottage, the guard captain whispered his orders.  
  
"On my word, cover all exits. You, you, and…you. You three will follow me when we break in. Allow no one to escape. Everyone in the house is suspect to harboring dangerous criminals. Find Van and his companion and bring them before me. Anyone else you find, tie up and wait for further orders. Dismissed."  
  
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Kiosun heard the whispers outside. Shaking Van awake with a hand over his mouth, he breathed softly, "Quietly, Van. Fanalian soldiers have found us."  
  
Van came wide-awake at once. Gesturing that he would remain silent, Ki removed his hand. "How?" mouthed Van.  
  
"I don't know. But we have to hide quickly."  
  
"Alright."  
  
Ki stood up silently and motioned Van to follow him. Moving to the next room where Folken and Angelique still slept, Ki woke them in the same manner. After quickly explaining the situation and the need for urgency, Angelique pushed the bed aside a few inches. Underneath was a trap door leading to a very small cellar, just large enough for two or three people. Angelique pushed Folken in first, followed by Ki, and then Van. Just as Ki was completely inside, the sound of the front door being flung off its hinges made everyone jump.  
  
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Van heard the door come crashing in just after Ki dropped into the cellar. Acting quickly, he slammed the trap door shut and pulled the bed over it with strength of adrenaline alone. Only after the bed was in place did he realize that Angelique was still outside. Her face was white and pinched, pupils dilated with fear.  
  
Van swore silently as he heard the noises of…four different soldiers searching the house methodically. These were the special troops…it was unlikely that the trap door would be missed unless they immediately found who they were looking for. Running to the door, he braced himself and held it closed as the first soldier tried to open it. Angelique ran over and helped, as the soldier outside called over his comrades.  
  
The four soldiers were more than two vampires, however strong their enhanced powers made them, could handle. The bedroom door was ripped off its hinges and thrown aside. Pushing Angelique behind him, Van spread his wings to protect her, ripping his shirt to threads. The four soldiers stood in the doorway gathering their bearings. Finally orienting themselves to the darkness, they spotted Van and began to fan out, trapping him in the room.  
  
"Lord Balgus wants you back at the castle, Lord Van. Please come with us peacefully," said the one with a blond beard.  
  
Something inside of Van snapped. Hearing soldiers, special troops, that he used to be friends with, order him to return to the capital like a common criminal, was too much. He hissed at them and mantled his wings, showing as much tooth as he could. Crooking his fingers into claws, he threw himself on Blond Beard, trying his best to bare handedly take out the whole quartet.  
  
The soldier, caught off guard, was thrown from the doorway, leaving Angelique an opening to escape. Though startled, she was not slow to take it. She ran through quickly, before the other three guards could stop her. Van turned his attention back to the man at hand.  
  
Blond Beard was startled, but only for an instant. Soon it was all Van could do to remain on top. Plunging his teeth at the soldier's neck, his nose was cracked against an elbow, blood dripping onto the floor. A red haze descended on his vision, the sight of blood more than the vampire inside of him could handle. The soldier barely had time for a short scream before Van tore out his throat.  
  
The other soldiers were standing around them, trying to help their comrade without accidentally hurting him. As soon as they saw their friend down, they moved in to subdue the young princeling. By then, it was too late. Van staggered back, adrenaline gone, blood dripping from his fingers and his nose. The lack of sustenance combined with the sudden surge and withdrawal of adrenaline caught up with him, blackness rising in his vision. The last thing he heard was a shrill scream from outside before he fell to the floor.  
  
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Van awoke to a gentle murmuring voice and soft fingers stroking his cheek.  
  
"Van…Van, can you wake up please? Van…speak to me."  
  
Thinking himself with Kiosun, he smiled and opened his eyes. Angelique's worried face hovered above his and the events of the evening came rushing back to him. The smile left his face immediately, leaving no trace that it had ever been there.  
  
Attempting to sit up, he found himself bound hand and foot. Angelique was similarly bound, but helped him sit up anyway. Before he could ask, she made a quick summary of events.  
  
"As soon was I went outside, I spread my wings to fly. A net was thrown over me and six more soldiers surrounded me. They brought you out a moment later. After a cursory look around, they left the house and we've been traveling since. We're in some kind of a wagon, reinforced with bars. Even vampiric strength can't bend them. Our wings, hands, and feet are bound…they're taking no chances. Thankfully, they didn't gag us. We're still in the forest, and as near as I can tell, it's almost dawn. They know we're vampires since you killed one of them in such a spectacular manner. Unfortunately, it wasn't the captain. He's the one riding the horse in front."  
  
Following her finger, he saw a brown haired man, one of the ones that had been in the search to enter the house. Arranged around the wagon on full guard position were eight more soldiers. Thrown over a horse behind the wagon was a body wrapped in blankets. Any hopes of escape he'd had disappeared. Eight soldiers and one captain on full guard status was eight soldiers and one captain too many.  
  
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After hours of tense waiting, Kiosun finally decided it was safe to come out. Folken had remained silent the entire time, not offering any opinion. The only time he'd shown emotion was when Angelique's scream had echoed from outside. He'd closed his eyes and shuddered, almost moaning. Ki had grabbed his hand and shook his head, indicating caution. Folken had looked away, expressionless again.  
  
Opening the trap door proved to be a problem, however. Since the bed was over top, it had to be pushed out of the way first. With the combined strength of both vampires, they were able to open the door and overturn the bed at the same time. With the huge crash that resounded, Ki doubted any remaining guards would not have come running. When the house remained silent, Ki cautiously crept into the room. Folken followed, just as silently. They moved through the house checking for signs of what had happened. A bloodstain on the floor attested to Van's kill. Folken looked worried when he saw it, but Ki assured him it wasn't Van's.  
  
"We both heard the soldier go down. Besides, I would have recognized Van's blood." Ki said. A small voice in the back of his head told him that, no, he wouldn't really recognize Van's blood, but he ignored it. Folken just shot him an unreadable glance and was silent. Outside in the dust they saw signs of a struggle and a net. Folken went down on a knee and traced the imprints.  
  
"Angelique was captured here. No blood…she is unharmed as far as I know. We must get them back immediately. It is almost dawn…if the soldiers don't cover them, they won't survive."  
  
Ki winced. "But they know Van and Angelique are vampires…the wings attest to that. Or if they are truly stupid, they'll at least recognize them as Draconians. And of course, when they see the two slowly burning and begging for cover, they'll have to do something." He added bitterly. Folken looked pained, as if he did not wish to contemplate that possibility.  
  
The two young men searched the clearing and found the tracks of twelve horses and a wagon. After a moment of hesitation, they took to the air and followed the trail, hoping to make enough time to get to a safe haven before dawn.  
  
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Van winced as the feeling of the approaching dawn made his back feel so unguarded. Angelique was white with strain but holding up very well. In just a few minutes the sun would break over the horizon and begin to slowly kill the pair of vampires, roasting them alive. Van tried begging the guard captain one more time.  
  
"Please, Captain…if you do not provide some shelter for us…blankets, cloaks, anything…we will die. Please, you must help us…at least help her! Just shove a blanket through the bars… Just as long as it can completely cover us, it will be fine. If you want to return anything to Balgus besides a corpse, you must help us!" The sun peeked out from the horizon, it's bright morning light striking Van's upraised arm. "Ahhh!" he screamed in pain. Angelique screamed as well, turning her back to the sun. Van placed himself in front of her, covering as much of her as he could reach. The guards had turned quickly at their screams, having ignored everything else they said.  
  
Van sobbed quietly now, every exposed part of his body on fire…literally. Though no real flames were evident, his skin was slowly turning black. Everywhere the sun touched hurt with a total complete pain. Angelique was behind him, protected from the light by the shadow from his chained wings and body. She was however, still crying from her first burns. The pain was intense, every nerve in his body screamed in agony.  
  
Suddenly, the light was cut off. A blanket had been thrown over the cage, blocking the sun. Van collapsed in relief. Tears leaked from his eyes as he tried to ignore the pain. Angelique glanced over at him. Her back was slightly burned, but had only been in the direct light for a few seconds. Van's arms, chest, wings, and face were burned badly. The soldier captain lifted up the far corner of the blanket, so that no sunlight would shine through.  
  
"So…the rumor was true. You are a vampire. And your friend here too. But the orders specified another…taller, with darker hair and white skin. About twenty. Where is he?"  
  
Van opened cracked lips to answer. "I don't know."  
  
The guard captain smiled grimly. "Yes, you do. And if you don't tell us, we'll drag your woman into the sunlight."  
  
Van whimpered. "I really don't know. I left him at the house."  
  
The guard captain nodded slowly. "That may be true. After we captured you, the house was just given a cursory examination. We may have missed much. It is too late now to return. Balgus will have to be content with you two vampires. It makes little difference to him. You'll both die anyway." He began to turn away, then seemed to notice just how badly burned Van was. "Of course, if you die before we reach Fanalia, Balgus will not be pleased. You, girl…what do you need to treat his burns?"  
  
Angelique whispered quietly. "Bandages…salve from Madame Greenwood, in Lokia. She makes special burn potions for the firemen." She added at the Captain's doubtful look. "Two blankets, new clothes…soft cloth, not harsh wool or cotton. The salve would take effect before we reached Fanalia, and he would be nearly healed."  
  
The captain nodded curtly and summoned one of his men. Van heard their whispered conversation. "Go to Lokia, find a Madame Greenwood. Get her most potent burn salve. Pay her well, but if she shows any signs of being a vampire, kill her. Also, buy the other things the vampire requested. The best you can afford. Here… Meet up with us at Fin Crossings." Money exchanged hands. The soldier saluted and rode east, towards Lokia. Van lay back gingerly against the rough wood of the wagon. This would surely be a very uncomfortable ride. 


	5. Chapter 5

Ki stared at the wagon. They had followed the trail for two nights by air and had finally caught up. Angelique and Van were both in the wagon, and from what Ki could tell, Van was badly injured. He growled softly. How dare they! Van just laid there, unmoving, face twisted in pain. How dare they hurt his beloved! Folken had barely spoken to him for the entire journey, except when it was absolutely necessary, but he spoke now.

"Do you really love my brother?" he asked.

Ki sat quiet for a moment. He wasn't sure how to answer. He loved Van, he knew he did…but how could he convince Folken? Folken adored his brother…he would do anything to protect him. Ki needed Folken's goodwill and permission to take his brother away. The ceremony could be completed just as easily, if not more so, if Folken took Ki's place. Ki had to convince Folken of the true depth of his love.

"I love your brother as much as you love Angelique." He said simply, putting as much of his emotions into his voice as possible. Ki looked straight into Folken's eyes, willing his love to shine through. Folken gazed at him, then nodded.

"In that case, this rescue should be a breeze." Leaving Ki gaping behind him, Folken spread his wings and flew into the air. With no other option, Ki followed.

"So what's your plan?" he asked.

Folken glance below them at the slow moving wagon. "We pick off their sentries one at a time. They have been leaving four each night. That leaves four soldiers who will realize what happened when they wake up for their watch. After we take the sentries, we can try to kill a few while they're still in their sleeping rolls, but we can't guarantee that they won't make noise. At worst, we'll have to fight all eight in combat, if they discover our attempts to kill them. At best, we can pick them off one at a time, and never have to face them in true battle. You have your sword and a dagger?"

"A sword…no dagger."

"It will have to do. First, we'll head to the Fin Crossings vampire kiss. They can lodge us for the day, and maybe send someone to help us. If they are traveling, we can still use the house. As soon as night falls, we'll find their camp and begin Operation Beloved."

Ki grinned wryly. "Operation Beloved?"

"Well…isn't that what we've lost?" Ki sobered at the thought. It was bitingly true.

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They had reached Fin Crossings about mid-afternoon. The soldier who had left was waiting for them with a large green jar and a cloth bag with several objects in it. After the captain checked the contents, he shoved the bag through the bars.

"This should be all you require?" he asked, almost making it a statement. Angelique ignored him, opening the green pot immediately. The smell of honey and marigolds wafted out. Van almost snickered. It seemed it was his destiny to smell like flowers. Angelique frowned at him and felt his forehead.

"A fever…I knew those burns would do this. Here…flip onto your back please." Van complied, laying on his back. Angelique spread the salve gently on all his burns…despite her care, it still hurt. Van bit his lip until the coppery tang of blood leaked into his mouth. Blood…hunger gnawed at his gut, reminding him about his newly changed metabolism. The soldiers had offered them food, but were refused. Not only could the vampire pair not eat normal food, but also they simply had no taste for it. And Van had no choice. Angelique had explained to him that the blood must be pure for the ceremony. If she were near starvation, she could drink his, but as long as there was the chance of a rescue, he could not take hers. It would be disastrous.

While his thoughts were occupied, Angelique finished spreading the last of the salve. It had numbed his burns until they were a distant ache, instead of the pounding agony they had been until then. The redness and swelling seemed to have gone down, but the burned portions of his skin, the truly black parts, were unaffected. He winced as she covered him with the blanket. The sun dimly lit up the cage through the blanket, and there had been a slight unease when they had been riding. Now, though, his body was covered and the unease gone. With two worries out of the way, Van drifted off into sleep. He would worry about the rest later.

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Ki touched down just outside of the Fin Crossings vampire safe house. Folken was slightly behind him, as Ki technically ranked him, being the elder vampire. The house was an impressive dark mansion. The ruling lord and lady had been there for centuries, as had most of their house. The Fin Crossings kiss was famous for their travels around Asturia and the surrounding countries, and it was unlikely that they'd all be in residence right now. If the main retinue were traveling, the only ones left would be the very young and the very old. Though not all the house was of the vampire breed (an impossibility with so few vampires anyway), the mortals were all aware of the true nature of the ones they served. Only a few trusted servants helped around the manse. With any luck, a few of these trusted servants would also be willing to help their master's relatives.

Ki knocked on the door heavily. A young lad of about nine opened the door and peered out, eyes adjusting to the black of the night. "Can I help you, sirs?"

"Yes, is Lord Krinove here?" At the boy's headshake, Ki tried again. "Lord Dalva?" This time the boy grinned and nodded.

"Of course he's here! He thinks all that traveling is frivolous. Shall I inform him you are here?"

"Yes, please. We need to see him immediately." The young lad nodded for them to follow, and dashed off down a hallway. Ki had no trouble keeping up, despite the twisting of the hallway…He probably knew this mansion better than anyone did but Lord Dalva himself. The boy stopped in front of a large oak door and knocked politely.

"Yes?" A deep but shaky voice answered.

"Lord Dalva, two vampires here to see you." Ki started a bit. He hadn't realized it was so obvious…but then, to a boy like this who practically lived his whole life with vampires, the signs were not hard to spot.

"Very good, send them in." The boy opened the door and ushered the pair in. A soft click came from behind them as the door was shut. In a large, battered armchair by the fire sat a wizened old man who looked almost eighty. In reality, he was probably over a thousand. Turning to look behind him, the old man smiled. "Ah, Kiosun, it is so very good to see you again. And this is your mate?"

Ki bowed. "No, my lord. This is Folken Fanel, Angelique's mate."

"Angelique, eh? Well, I must admit, he is her type. Eheheheh! My, she was such a headstrong young one! Thrown so quickly into her powers. And then saving her brother, too. She finally settled down? Good, good…" Dalva wheezed. Ki paused, then carefully introduced his problem.

"Lord Dalva, though Folken is not my mate, I have found my true mate. I-"

Ki was cut off in midsentence. "Well then, why didn't you bring him?" Dimly seeing Ki's expression, the oldster paused. "It is a him…?"

"Yes, lord. However, there is a problem-"

"Well, then, what's the problem? Isn't he a vampire?"

"Not yet, but he has the blood-"

"Well, what else could it be? Hmm…knowing you, you're afraid he doesn't love you in return."

"I-Yes-"

"Don't worry, young'un, I'm sure he does. That uncertainty does keep you on your toes, though. Heheheheh. I remember when I was just a century old, there was the prettiest young girl. Ooh, my, she was a quick one! Every time she'd look at me…" The old man trailed off dreamily. Ki suppressed a sigh. Lord Dalva got more senile every decade.

"Lord Dalva, please hear me out. The problem is this. My beloved, Van Fanel, Folken's younger brother, is the heir to the kingdom of Fanalia."

"I don't see the problem. Folken got out of it, didn't you, sonny?" Dalva grinned gap-toothed at them. Folken smiled thinly. Ki continued, ignoring the interruption.

"Van's mentor, Balgus, somehow got wind of the fact that Van is a vampire. So he sent the Fanalian special guard to capture Van. They succeeded in getting both Van and Angelique. We've planned a rescue but we need more people to help. With only two, it will be very dangerous. Can you send someone to help us rescue them?"

Throughout his speech, the old man had remained silent. Now he rang a bell and the page entered.

"Robby, please get out guests a secure…very secure…room for the night." The servant boy bent over as Dalva whispered something else and nodded, leaving quietly. Dalva turned back to them.

"I regret to tell you this, but with everyone traveling, there is no one to go with you."

"We had expected as much, but were hoping for a room for the night, so we could rescue them tomorrow." Ki said.

"I realize that. However, I can't allow you to do that."

Ki paused in confusion. "Can't allow us to do what?" he asked, sincerely puzzled.

"Rescue them, of course. You would betray us. The vampiric race."

"No, I wouldn't! We must rescue them, or they'll be burned at the stake! They'll die!"

"You know I love Angelique like my own child…We just can't afford the exposure of our race to anyone!"

"You don't understand! The guards already know! Balgus knows! The only way we can stop them is to kill them! We have to rescue them, now!" Ki shouted. Folken remained impassively behind him. The old man pulled the bell rope again and four burly men ran into the room armed with torches and firebrands. Evidently, Dalva had trained them well to deal with unwanted vampires.

"Guards…take them to the dungeon!" Dalva screamed like a feudal warlord. Ki snorted at the drama. Old men tended to have delusions. Surely, the guards wouldn't…

Actually, they would. When neither vampire moved, the nearest man jabbed the brand perilously close to Ki's arm. "Get moving!" 

Ki bared his fangs and hissed. "You cannot be serious!" 

The man gestured again. "You wanna take that risk?" 

Ki lowered his head in defeat. "Dalva…why can't you see logic?!" he said desperately.

"Take them away! Take them away! I cannot listen to their useless prattle any more!" he screamed, spittle flying. Ki curled his lip in disgust. They were dealing with a madman!

The guards led them down the carpeted hallways to a red and gold furnished bedroom. The door had a huge padlock on the outside and the door was reinforced with huge metal bars. Thoughts of escape dribbled away. As the were pushed inside, Ki turned to the guard with the brand. "When will Lord Krinove be back?"

"Two days from now. If you can convince them to free you, Lord Dalva will have no say in it. I will inform them of you as soon as they return." The guard's voice was almost sympathetic. Ki nodded and flopped onto the bed, closing his eyes. Folken sat carefully in a nearby chair.

"Two days from now will be too late. It is probably close to morning now. Van and the others should reach Fin Crossings at noon. In two days, they will be in Fanalia. We will not be able to rescue them then." Folken said expressionlessly. Ki nodded miserably.

"I blew it. Dalva is even worse now than he was twenty years ago."

Folken softened a bit. "You couldn't have know. We'll make it out of here, don't worry."

Ki propped himself up on an elbow. "How?"

Folken smiled. "Like this…" he said, and outlined his plan.

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Van carefully put on his soft silk shirt. The fabric shushed quietly against his tender skin. The burn salve had worked quite well. The black skin had flaked off leaving bright pink scars behind. The partially burnt parts were still red, but rapidly turning back to white. Angelique's burns were almost gone. They were still chained hand and foot, but the guards had loosened them enough to compensate for small movements. Angelique was sleeping now, although it was after midnight. Half the guards were asleep…the other four and the captain lay awake around the fire, keeping watch on both the prisoners and the perimeter of the camp. Everything was silent. The men weren't even dicing or drinking, except for the captain. In Van's experience, captains who drank in front of men they'd forbidden to drink didn't stay captains very long. Van peered out into the gloom, watching for any sight of a rescue.

The forest was empty…nothing stirred. He frowned and looked closer. Despite the proximity to the camp, _something_ had to be moving. A rabbit, or owl, or maybe a family of night-lizards. Still, the only time the forest was silent was when there was a large predator out there that no one else could see. Either way, it meant trouble. Van carefully scrutinized the tree line again. When he had first met Ki, he'd been sitting in a tree…

Suddenly the guard captain broke into his thoughts. "See something of interest out there? Men…perform full perimeter check. Split up. North, south, east and west, then report to me. If this vampire scum sees something, I want to know what it is!"

The guards nodded and split up. After a few minutes, Van heard a very muffled thud from the west. This was followed closely by another thud and gurgle from the south. The captain didn't seem to hear it though, and Van blessed his enhanced hearing. Something out there had happened, and obviously, the captain wasn't supposed to hear it. Van prayed it was the rescue attempt and gently shook Angelique awake.

"What? Huh?" she asked blearily.

"I think what we've been waiting for is here," he breathed in her ear. The captain stood up slowly.

"I have to piss," he groaned and lurched into the trees. The sound of liquid hitting moldy leaves drifted through the clearing, then a short groan and the distinct noise of a body hitting the forest floor. Van grinned. This had to be the rescue attempt!

Two more thuds from the north and east heralded the death of the final two patrol guards. Folken and Ki drifted into the clearing, Ki with a ring of keys and a sword. Folken went around to the sleeping guards and slit their throats silently, so that none of them had a chance to yell. Van grinned in admiration. This was as perfect a rescue as he'd ever seen! Not that he'd seen many, but still!

Kiosun walked over to the cage and unlocked the door, and expression of worry on his face.

"Van, Angelique, are you alright? I-oomph!" he said as Van threw himself in his arms. Angelique followed at a more sedate pace, walking to Folken and hugging him tightly. Van was oblivious in a surprised Ki's arms.

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After the quartet was reunited, they rode the guards' horses back to Angelique's farm. The horses were of fine stock as well, and they didn't want to leave the silly beasts in the woods. They'd probably get themselves eaten in a quarter hour.

Two days later at the farm, Ki and Folken explained everything.

"How did you escape?" Van asked.

"Well," Ki answered, "Your brother is better at the escape arts than he has any right to be. He used some string and a bent spoon to open our door as soon as night fell. I still have no idea how it works, but it did. After that we found a room with an open window and flew out. We found you a couple hours later, and you know the rest."

Van grinned at his brother. "I guess Balgus' training came in useful after all. Ironic that it simply defeated his true purpose." Folken smiled back at his energetic younger brother.

Ki laughed. "Ironic indeed! But speaking of Balgus, he won't give up just because his special guards failed. He'll just send more, and if our trail could be traced once, it can be traced again."

Van sobered at the thought. "Indeed…the truth is that Balgus loves us, and hates to see the kingdom fall into a cousin's hands after he fought so hard to keep it for us. He fought the advisors who wanted to throw father and mother out when they found out she was Draconian, he organized the militia to protect from invaders, and he's raised us to take the throne. No matter what logic says, he won't give up all that hard work just because we don't want the crown. No matter whom the responsibilities fall to, he won't let us get away with disgracing him. He has too much pride." Folken nodded, confirming Van's assessment.

"What can we do?" asked Angelique.

"We have to confront him somehow. We can't just hide from him forever. Or at least, for his whole lifetime."

"No," Folken responded. "No, we can't. But I do know what our next move is."

Ki looked up curiously. "What?"

"You two will complete the bonding ceremony! Ki was so sluggish from exhaustion when we were rescuing you that I am truly surprised he made it back. And Van, with your burns, used much energy in their healing. The salve was not all that healed you. Vampires heal unnaturally fast. However, that didn't leave you with much in reserve. You two will complete the ceremony tonight! In fact, since Angelique and I have fed every night since we were reunited, both from each other and the horses, we are well enough to leave for Lokia right now. We should reach there well before dawn. Laike will return in two days with the new horses. If you are not done by then, you both will die. Unless Ki feeds from elsewhere and abandons Van. He may survive. But Van will surely not. Now, Angelique and I are leaving, we love you, good luck, and goodbye." Folken said firmly, as Angelique nodded emphatically. 

The two were out the door and winging away to Lokia before Van could truly grasp that they were leaving. Ki sighed gently. "Typical," he said, and refused to explain to Van what he meant.

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Van sat sharpening his sword beside the fireplace. Ki was tidying up the house since the soldiers had practically trashed it and they hadn't had time to fix it before Angelique and his brother had left. Van held the sword edge to the light and scrutinized it. Perfect! Ki finished a few minutes later. The pair had slept the day after Angelique had left, so were as well rested as they could be, under the circumstances.

"So Ki, how is this ceremony performed?" Van asked, curiosity roused. Ki winced slightly.

"Ah…well, it's sort of…complicated. It is rather hard to explain. To be absolutely frank with you, the pair of vampires, which are hopefully in love, or things could get complicated, they, umm…" he coughed and blushed. Van's eyes widened as the suspicion at the back of his mind was realized.

"So we need to make love?" he said bluntly. Ki ducked his head in embarrassment.

"Pretty much, yes. Then we must drink each other's blood to be bonded for eternity. If there is no love, the younger vampire, for reasons we don't understand, goes crazy. As I did. If there is half love—meaning one loves, but the other does not, the vampire that loves is stricken with immeasurable guilt. Again, the vampire race doesn't know why, but we suspect it is for survival of the fittest. Believe me, once the ceremony is started, it all falls naturally. You'll know what to do."

There was a long pause, where nothing was said. Ki seemed nervous, and Van found himself beginning to understand why. The half-love thing…Ki was worried about it. That much was obvious from the way his eyes were looking everywhere but directly at Van. Van half smiled. "I guess we have nothing to worry about then."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Nani?" Ki said, confused. Van had the oddest smirk on his face, and Ki didn't know why.

"We have nothing to worry about," Van repeated. "If you say the ceremony will fall naturally, then I believe you."

"B...but..." Ki stuttered. "Maybe it would be better if you did it with your brother, I mean, you need to have love on both sides, and I know you and your brother love each other." Van shook his head, the same smirk teasing the corners of his mouth.

"No. It would work, true, but unless you don't love me, then why wouldn't it work with you?"

"Unless I don't love…" Ki repeated as if he couldn't quite believe what he'd heard. "No! I do love you, it's just that I was afraid…" Ki trailed off, embarrassed. Van softened and walked over to Ki.

"You were afraid that I didn't love you. You couldn't have been more wrong. I do love you, Kiosun, and there is no one I'd rather perform this ceremony with." Putting his arms around Ki's shoulders, Van kissed him full on the mouth. Ki responded in kind, pulling Van tight to him.

Ki gently pressed his tongue inside Van's willing mouth, deepening and prolonging the kiss. Van moaned softly.

Finally, they broke apart, both slightly breathless. Ki broke into a brilliant smile. "I love you Van. I have loved you ever since you were five, playing in the field with your brother. I loved watching you sword fight and pilot a guymelef. Watching you grow up made me realize how wonderful you were. When I found out you liked only guys, I almost died from relief. This…this is beyond my greatest fantasy."

Van smiled. "Well, koi…now that I'm all yours, what will you do next?"

Ki mock-leered at him. "I guess we'd better perform the ceremony."

Van grinned. "I guess so…" 

Ki gently led him to the bedroom and closed the door.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Van looked around the bedroom. Ki had tidied it up quite well. The bed was made, the broken chair thrown out, and everything smelled nicely of soap. Ki came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Van. "Hey lover," he breathed.

Van turned around to face him. "Mmmm…" he said contentedly from within the protective circle of Ki's arms. Ki looked down warmly at him.

"Why did you always…reject my advances if you loved me?" he asked, needing to know.

"I…was afraid." Van admitted. "I've only done this once, you know. I wasn't sure how to act. And I was afraid of what might happen if you found out. If anyone found out."

Kiosun nodded and hugged him tighter. "I understand." Then he bent down and once more claimed Van's lips, guiding him to the bed at the same time. Both of them ended up unbalancing and sprawling on the bed, laughing. Ki rolled onto his side and propped himself up with an elbow. "You're always so serious Van. I haven't seen you laugh very often. Why is that?"

"I suppose it's because I never had much to laugh about, after my family left. I've had to mature so quickly. Then when I began to take care of Fanalia, I couldn't let the people see how young I really was, so I acted older. After I met you, you were just so fun to be around, but at the same time, I was uncertain, so I acted as neutrally as possible, under the circumstances. I mean, with being a vampire and all."

"Hmm. So, once you become more comfortable, you'll loosen up a bit?"

Van glanced over sharply at the tone of Ki's voice. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes and a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "I…guess so." Van answered cautiously. Ki grinned and pulled Van to him, kissing him soundly.

Van willingly participated, happy with the world for once. He had his brother back, the kingdom wasn't his problem anymore, and he had found his beloved. As soon as the ceremony and Balgus were taken care of, everything would be perfect.

During Van's musings, Ki had somehow managed to undress them both and pull the blankets over them. Van lay next to him, skin on fire where it touched Kiosun's. Ki seemed content for the moment just to hold him, and Van had no objections. Finally, Van looked at Ki.

"How do we complete the ceremony?"

"First, we show our love for each other the physical way. Then, we bind our souls together in blood. Then we'll never leave each other, for eternity."

Van nodded and was swept away in the sensations Ki offered him. They made tender love together, and at the height of their passion, Van gently bit Ki's neck, and the latter returned the favor. Metallic, heavy blood filled Van's mouth as wave after wave of pleasure hit him. He felt his canines lengthen and become more solid. A strange sensation swept through his wings, causing them to unfurl. Through the corner of his eyes, Van watched as his wings turned complete matte black, reflecting no light. His eyes blanked out for a moment, and when his sight returned, the previously dark room seemed lit up as if with hundreds of candles. Strength coursed through his limbs as the sensation of many pins rained on his skin; everywhere they touched leaving enhanced senses. Smell, touch, even hearing increased a thousandfold.

At the same time, a presence in his mind grew stronger and more clearly defined. A bright voice whispered in his mind

**__**

Inseparable, for eternity.

Van echoed the thought in his head, answering, magnifying the words, and making them true.

However, few things last forever, and the ceremony was the same way. After the last echoes of the voice left his head, Van and Kiosun fell back against the pillows, Van retracting his wings, embarrassed. Ki saw the look and shook his head. "Don't be embarrassed. It always happens."

Van grinned ruefully and took stock of himself. Everything seemed larger, fuller. Complete. Instead of being exhausted, as he expected, he felt refreshed and renewed. Ki looked the same way. But there was something different…the presence in his head was still there. He called to it experimentally.

__

Hello?

****

Yes? Kiosun glanced at him. Van's eyes widened.

__

Kiosun?!

****

Of course.

Oh my… 

Ki was grinning insanely. **_Oh my indeed. The ceremony worked, all the way! There was love on both sides…so much, that the Powers That Be granted us this gift. We will never be separated, no matter the distance between us physically._**

Can we shut it off? Van wondered.

**__**

What, sick of my company already? Ki teased. **_Of course we can. Just imagine that you are surrounding that little spot in your mind where my presence is with a glass bubble. Then, I won't be able to hear what you're thinking, and I won't be able to talk to you. I mean, I can't hear what you're thinking anyway, just the thoughts that you direct at me and the emotions too strong to cut off. And the bubble can pop in an emergency, so we needn't worry about getting completely cut off, even by accident._**

Oh. Van tried this a few times, then banished the bubble. _How do you know about this?_

There was a mental sort of shrug. **_I just do. Like if you went out hunting right now, you'd know exactly how to seduce a victim properly and feed. Of course, you might accidentally kill the person, since you haven't learned control, but the knowledge is there. Basic survival instinct. Vampires have a lot of that._**

Van rolled this over in his mind, looking for the information that Ki told him was there. Sure enough, he knew exactly what to do. _Will I need to know how?_

****

Yes. We cannot subsist off each other, much as I'd love to. Every week or two we each will need to feed off another. Person or animal, it doesn't matter. Laike, Folken and Angelique use the horses. We will too, until we establish ourselves and start our own farm.

Oh.

****

Although, now that I think about it… Ki looked him over once. **_We better not touch the horses until you learn control. Not that you don't have any!_** He hastened to reassure, as Van looked at him offended. **_It's just very hard, the first few times, to control the hunger. Have you ever heard of bands of criminals and brigands disappearing?_**

Van nodded. It was a great mystery to the law enforcers, how groups of bandits were killed every once and a while…usually about five or ten years apart, huge numbers of thieves and generally evil people would have their throats ripped out and their bodies publicly displayed beside the road. Van had a suspicion now about what happened, confirmed by Kiosun's next words.

**__**

They wouldn't have long to live anyway…they'd get caught, or an ambitious underling would kill them and take their place, so the vampires made a pact to train young vampires on the brigands and cutthroats. A kiss is actually dedicated to making a list of truly evil men, the men of the very worst sort. No small-timing thieves get on the list, only the cold ones who murder for a living. We'll get a copy of the list and begin your training by practicing on them.

Van nodded agreeably and yawned. Ki chuckled softly. **_For now, we'll sleep. The next two days will be spent entirely together, and then Laike should be back. We'll travel to Lokia to inform your brother and Angelique about the good news, and then we can begin to scout around for good farm territory while training you. Once we've found a place secure and remote enough, we can begin thinking of a way to get Balgus off our backs. Is that ok?_**

Looking down at Van, Ki realized he was already asleep. Ki smiled tenderly and settled Van in his arms, certain now that there would be no embarrassment come morning. Before he drifted off to sleep, he sent one last mind wisp in Van's direction.

**__**

Goodnight, beloved. A dreamy echo chased Ki's thoughts into peaceful oblivion.


	6. Chapter 6

__

Good Morning, Kiosun! Van chirped into Ki's mind. Ki smiled, eyes still closed.

**__**

Good Morning, Van. You're up early.

__

I'm hungry… Van trailed off, embarrassed.

Kiosun grinned.**_ No surprise. Last night was…busy._** Van blushed, thoughts becoming tinged pink with embarrassment.

__

I'm glad though. Now we'll always be together. Kiosun wrapped Van in a warm hug, opening his eyes. Van's pupils were a little over-dilated, but that was to be expected. He still had to adjust to the changes in his body. His teeth were longer and just peeped out under his upper lip. He'd learn to hide that, too.

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So what can I eat? I just have this huge craving for…blood. Van's thoughts were chaotic. Tinged with hunger and fear too. Van couldn't seem to control his cravings, and he was afraid he'd hurt Kiosun. Kiosun didn't seem worried though, so he probably shouldn't worry either. It was just that the hunger was so real…Van had never been this hungry before. As a prince, he'd had everything that he'd wanted. If he was hungry, five servants would be at his side offering food. Now, the hunger seemed like a sleeping dragon. It had been pacified before, but now it was awake, and angry. It wanted blood…and who was Van to refuse?

**__**

Don't worry, Van. We have just the thing for emergencies. Follow me. Kiosun stood smoothly up, drawing Van with him. Van followed silently. Ki, completely nude, walked outside toward the barn. Van's eyes widened, but he grinned and trailed behind. Inside the barn was a healthy cow, big and robust. Van could see an undertone of faint…heat lines, almost, where blood was flowing close to the skin. His vampire instincts screamed at him to rush at her and drink from those veins, but his training held him back. As did Kiosun's arm. Then Ki spoke, out loud, startling Van.

"Van, this cow is big. As long as you don't do as your instincts tell you to do and rip out her heart, you'll not kill her. So please, be rational and drink from this vein here…" Ki indicated a large vein on the side of her neck where the blood was pumping under the skin. Van shoved instincts to the back of his mind and nodded. Ki withdrew his arm and began to pat the gentle cow on the head.

Lowering his face to the cow, Van gently sank his fangs into her. There was a moment of pain, but glands in his teeth secreted a liquid. It seemed to be a mix of an aphrodisiac and an anesthetic. The cow's eyes drooped close in pleasure. Van was slightly sickened, but the blood was flowing out of the wound now, and into his mouth.

At the first taste of blood, all caution was blown to the wind. The dragon, barely contained before, was now free and rampaging through his body. The sweet metallic blood was flowing into his mouth, down his throat. He was gulping desperately, his nausea gone…his entire world was focused on his hunger.

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Kiosun watched Van with growing concern. He remembered the first time he had fed…killing that girl. And the second time…and the third, too. He hadn't had a mentor then, to stop him from ripping out the throat. He knew he had to stop Van from that much, and had apparently succeeded. But what now? Would Van stop by himself? Would Ki have to stop him? The cow seemed fine, eyes still half closed with bliss. Was she weaker though? Just as he thought this, the cow sank to her knees, head lowered. Ki stepped away quickly and went to Van's side. Van didn't look ready to stop anytime soon.

Ki paused for only a second, then grabbed Van's head and pulled him away from the wound. At his touch, Van spun around, teeth bared, eyes narrowed, arms ready to strike at this attacker.

"Van…Van, listen to me." Ki spoke quietly, reinforcing his words with a soft mental touch. "You are Van Fanel. You are my Vampire, my prince, and my lover. You must calm down."

Gradually the sanity returned to Van's eyes. Replacing it was horror. 

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"Kiosun…I…is she alright?" Van looked at the cow, which had laid down her head and fallen asleep.

**__**

Look with you own eyes. Ki replied.

Van looked at the cow. Her veins still pulsed heavily with warm, vibrant blood. She was fine. He sighed in relief.

"How do you feel, Van?" Kiosun asked.

"I feel…fine. I'm not…as hungry, but…still I desire more. Should I feel hungry? I can't believe I lost control like that…" He was panting heavily, still fighting the hunger. Kiosun walked over and hugged him comfortingly.

"That's why I'm here, koibito. To protect you. To train you. You will lose control, the first few times. The instincts will recede as you deny them, so soon control will be no problem. I had none when I began to feed, so my victims died. When no one trained me, the instincts never receded as yours will, so I continued to kill my prey. With my help, that won't happen to you. Be strong, Van." Van nodded.

__

Of course. Thank you, Kiosun. With this, they walked back to the house, hand in hand.

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The next two days, Kiosun taught Van control. He let Van feed off the horses at the end of the second day, and was very proud when Van only took enough to last a few more days. When his metabolism slowed completely, that same amount would last a week at least. On the third evening, Laike returned.

"Ki, my brother! It looks like all went well." He was grinning broadly, an expression and attitude not often seen on his face. Ki grinned too.

"Far better than expected."

"Oh?" Laike queried. "How so?"

Ki smiled innocently and answered, "Hold on, let me call Van." Without saying another word, he called to Van in his mind.

**__**

Beloved, come here for a moment please. I want to show Laike our new talent.

Oh, is Laike back already? Van sounded disappointed. Not that Laike was back, just that they wouldn't be alone anymore.

Laike was looking puzzled when Van strolled in. "You called?" he asked. Laike shook his head.

"No, he…I…you…how?" Laike was astonished.

Van walked over and tucked himself in the curve of Ki's arm. "You didn't explain?"

Ki shook his head. "Not yet."

"Explain what?"

"Our little talent. We'll demonstrate. Ask anything of Van, anything I'd know."

Laike was confused but complied. "Alright…umm…what was the one thing I told Ki but never told Angelique about my time before I became a vampire?"

Ki thought quickly. **_He had a girlfriend, secretly, and when his sister turned him into a vampire, he left a rose on her pillow and a note explaining that he loved her but had to leave. He never saw her again, and didn't tell his sister because he didn't want her to feel bad for taking him away from their old life._** Van faithfully repeated this.

"How could you possibly know that! Wait…mindspeech?"

Ki remained silent, but Van nodded. Laike took a step back. "The bond was that strong?" he asked. Van nodded again. Laike shook his head in wonder. "I can't believe you were so worried about it." Ki winced.

"Ano, well, Van wasn't exactly encouraging me…" Van raised his eyebrows.

"You were never really straightforward with me, either."

"Yes, but that was-"

"Different? I don't think so. You never really even told me how the ceremony was supposed to be."

"I was afraid you'd be disgusted and leave me…"

"Well that was pretty ridiculous, huh? I'd never leave you, you should have known that!"

"Well, how was I supposed to know that, you never even made it seem like you really loved me!"

Laike had been watching this with some amusement. "As much as I hate to interrupt a lovers' quarrel, I did bring the livestock back, and I do have to take care of them. Why don't you assist me?" As Van and Ki grinned ruefully and followed him out, he made one last remark to no one in particular. "They're almost as bad as newlyweds."

He caught the glance between Van and Kiosun… right before they dragged him to the barn and stuffed hay down his shirt until he laughingly apologized.

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Angelique and Folken returned the next day, to find the other three vampires laughing over really lame jokes around the never-used kitchen table. They were welcomed back and everything was explained to them. The gift of mindspeech, the plans for the farm, and the plans for taking care of the persistent Balgus. The latter plans were still in very tentative stage, nothing more than speculation, but Balgus was a problem that soon had to be dealt with.

Angelique and Folken explained that they had bought a stallion for the farm. Laike had already bought four mares, and they were gifting Van and Kiosun with the pair of horses that had carried them for part of their journey, Coral and Breeze.

Ki's eyebrows rose at the generosity. "Two stallions _and_ five brood mares?"

Angelique blushed. "This simple cottage is all we wanted. With all the money we've made over the past hundred or so years, we never bought anything but cows and horses and food. We have quite a large nest egg that we never plan to use. Consider it…a gift for your new life. I know you have the money from Van's cousin, but why don't you use that to find a good sized bit of land in a forest somewhere? Then you only have to worry about solitude and exclusion, not price."

Van wrapped her in a hug, then walked to his brother and Laike and did the same. "I'll never forget your generosity."

Ki nodded his agreement. "We'll only be staying one more day. Then we'll be flying to Lokia looking for people willing to sell their land. We'll widen our search from there. After we've got our land, we'll come back here to collect the horses. After that, we'll secretly return to Fanalia and begin to make plans to get Balgus off our necks."

And so it was agreed. The next night they'd leave for Lokia.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next night, Van woke up with a heavy heart. He'd only just learned that his brother was still alive and been reunited with him. Now they were leaving again. Ki seemed to notice his distress, and correctly guessed what was bothering him.

**__**

You don't want to leave your brother so soon.

Of course not. I've missed him all these years, and now that we're finally together again, we hardly had a chance to talk to each other.

Do you want to stay longer? We don't have to hurry.

Well, I'd love to stay. But we have to take care of Balgus before we're ever safe. Which means we have to leave here as soon as possible and keep moving till we find our farm.

Our farm… Ki's thoughts were tinged with amusement.**_ It still seems odd. Prince Van, working on a farm with a duke's bastard son._**

Well…All that matters to me is that you are Kiosun, and I am Van. Not a prince anymore, I renounced that. And really, I could care less if you were a duke's half son. Rank doesn't matter.

"Thanks Van," Ki laughed. "Now, we're packed, let's go!

Van said goodbye to his brother and Angelique and Laike. He would miss them, but really, he was happy to leave. He'd get to be alone with his beloved. As he waved behind him at the vampires he'd grown to know so well, he blinked back tears, not entirely sure if they were happy or sad tears.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"So, how much do you want for the land?"

Van and Kiosun sat across the inn's table from an old couple. The couple was about seventy or so, and had lived on the same farm for years. However, lately they'd been unable to care for it properly. Their granddaughter owned a house in the town, and wanted her grandparents to live with her so she could care for them. So the couple wanted to sell their land for the best price they could so they could give the money to their granddaughter.

"Fifty gold pieces." The old man spoke. "That includes the barn and the house."

"You've had it looked at?" asked Kiosun.

"Yes, my granddaughter's fiancée appraised it."

"That's not very much money."

"No, it's not. But we've had that farm for years, and it's mostly trees anyway. The house has fallen in disrepair, but the barn was rebuilt after a fire a few years ago." The old man's voice quavered a bit with suppressed emotion. "We barely got the horses out alive."

Kiosun lay a hand over the man's. "I understand. I was involved in a similar incident."

The man drew himself up a bit. "We are sad to see the farm go, but I know you two will take care of it. Brothers, you said?"

"Actually, half brothers. Same mother, different fathers." Van said. They'd planned the entire meeting out beforehand, so he knew what to say. 

The old man sighed. "Used to be in my day, we didn't have that kind of disgraceful behavior going on." His wife made a noise of protest, and the man looked at her.

"Henry, it ain't these kids fault 'bout their mother."

"True. I'm sorry boys."

Kiosun spoke up. "We're both legitimate. Our mother remarried after bandits killed her first husband. Unfortunately, four years later, our entire farm was burned to the ground by the same bandits. My brother and I were the only survivors."

The wife softened visibly. "Oh, you poor dears. Losing your parents like that! Henry, can you imagine? That must be why you need the farm."

"Yes…" Van dropped his eyes. "Too many bad memories." He hated lying like this, but the old couple would never sell the farm if they knew Kiosun and himself were lovers.

There was a short silence, and then Kiosun reached into his pocket for their purse. He counted the fifty coins into a pile in the center of the table. The old couple looked on with surprise as he gently shoved it towards them.

"Here. Now, where is the paperwork?" In a flurry of motion, the coins were hidden in coat pockets, papers signed, sealed and witnessed, and hands shaken all around.

"Thank you, boys." The man and his wife made their stately way out of the inn.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Van looked at Kiosun. _We're going to follow them, aren't we?_

**__**

Of course. We did business in a public area, so anyone could have seen the money. We're going to make sure they reach their granddaughter's home without getting mugged.

__

All right, let's go. Van put a hand to his sword and they strode through the door together.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Four days later, Van stared about with wonder. "This is to be our home?" he asked, disbelief in his voice. Kiosun turned around to look at him, worried.

"I know it's not much Van, compared to the palace, but it'll be just us, and I'll fix it up…"

"No, no, Kiosun, you've got it all wrong. It's _beautiful!_ Look at the trees…they're ancient! They're so huge…and this clearing, filled with flowers! It couldn't be more perfect! For fifty gold, we practically stole it!" Van flung his arms out to encompass the small valley in question. Ki smiled and dropped the reins of the horses to stand behind Van and wrap him in a hug.

**__**

I'm glad you like it.

__

Ki, it's perfect! Van's thoughts were tinged blue with happiness and contentment. _And now it's all ours!_

**__**

Forever.

Eternity, anyway.

****

Isn't it the same thing?

I don't know, is it? Van's thoughts were completely carefree. _Does it matter?_

****

Not really.

I love you, Kiosun!

I love you too, Van Fanel.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Van stared with slight dismay at the house. He turned to Kiosun, who was equally dismayed. "Fallen into disrepair? Isn't that kind of…understating the matter?"

Ki grimaced. "Now we know why it was so cheap…"

The house was trashed. The roof was broken in quite a few places; the walls looked about to fall in, and the windows…well, there weren't any. Just gaping holes. Van and Kiosun carefully made their way to where the door was supposed to be. Inside was worse. The furniture was moldy and moth-eaten. The counters were scraped and scratched up, as if by the claws of mice or birds. The bedroom had just a frame of a bed, and there were plants growing between the floorboards of the entire house.

"Hmm…well, Ki, think of it this way!" Van said as they walked back into the moonlight. "At least we get to design our own house!" Kiosun just rolled his eyes.

"Van, I hope you don't mind if we sleep in the stables tonight." 

Van just shook his head. "Of course not."

"All right. Then tomorrow night we can ride back to Lokia and find someone to build us a house."

"What will we do with this one?"

"Burn it, I guess."

Van nodded, picked up the horses' reins and led them towards the barn. Kiosun stared at the house for a moment longer, then followed Van into the barn.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Well, I reckon it'll take a couple months, but we can build her for ya." The grizzled carpenter glanced at the plans. "It'll be costly, though."

Kiosun nodded. "I never thought differently."

"Aren't ya gonna ask how much?"

"No, I can afford it. I want no expense spared. It must be perfect for my fiancée!" Ki gushed happily as Van rolled his eyes. This time, instead of being brothers, they were best friends. As for Ki's "fiancée," she was supposedly still with her family until the marriage. Despite the ridiculous tale, and Kiosun's continued sappiness, the carpenter believed every word. He also had belief in the gold that the pair flashed him when they walked in the door.

"All right then. Where will ya be staying while my team builds?"

"Ah, here and there." Ki gestured vaguely. "I have quite a bit of business to attend to before the wedding, so I'll be traveling a lot. I'll return whenever I can to be sure that everything is going smoothly. How much will I need to pay you up front?"

"About half. Thirty now, thirty when it's done. Plus any extra costs that come up."

"Of course. Here you go!" Ki handed over the money with a huge smile. Van valiantly tried to keep a straight face as Ki started extolling on the virtues of his wife-to-be to the carpenter, who was valiantly trying to keep panic from his eyes as Kiosun's words grew more and more flowery. Finally, Van could take it no more and carefully lay a hand on Ki's arm.

"Ki, we have to go pick out you clothes. For the wedding?"

"Ah, of course. I'm so sorry, sir, we'll have to continue our conversation later, ok?"

The carpenter nodded, and opened the door for them. "Yes, of course, later, goodbye!"

As soon as they were out the door and around the next corner, Kiosun burst into laughter.

"Did…you see…the _look_…on…his face?!" Ki wheezed. "Oh my…"

Van rolled his eyes. "Kiosun…you are too much."

Ki grinned, tears leaking from his eyes as he tried in vain to stop laughing.

"Not only that, but…sixty gold for the house?! Ki, are you nuts? The thirty you gave him was the last of the gold that Kuwaro gave me! All we have left are a few silver that should put us in an inn for maybe a week! What were in those plans you gave him? Marble floors?"

"No, not exactly…don't forget, we still have the gold that Angelique and Folken gave us. That's enough."

"How much _did_ they give us?" Van asked curiously.

"Actually, they specifically asked me not to tell you because they knew you'd never accept if you knew how much it was." Ki looked at the ground. Van sighed and shook his head.

"They're probably right. Ok, now what? Where exactly _are_ we going to stay?"

"At the inn with the other vampires. I'll get a copy of the list of criminals I was telling you about, and then I'll start training you. While we're doing that, we can also begin to plot."

"Plot?"

"Well…decide what we're going to do about Balgus."

"Balgus…" Van sighed to himself. "Why did he have to betray me?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the Fanalian palace….

"Van…" Balgus sighed to himself. "Why did he have to betray me?"

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The couple who ran the inn was overjoyed to see Van and Kiosun again, especially since Van was now completely Vampire. They welcomed the pair cheerfully, and gave them the room that they'd had the first time.

What followed was a wonderful couple of months, full of love and laughter. Ki was outrageous, and Van suspected it was his true side showing through. They wandered the stores in the nighttime bazaar, went diving again, and sent packages of presents to Fanalia. Van also wrote a note to Balgus, explaining that he'd gone to the Dragonslaying early. He suspected Balgus wouldn't believe it for a minute, but appearances were everything. He sent a nearly duplicate letter to his cousin and Merle, along with Merle's gifts. They visited the carpenter every once in a while, to see how things were going. Van suspected that Kiosun bribed the man to finish it sooner, because it was completely done in two months, rather than the original projected three. The carpenter also furnished the house, for an additional fee, of course.

Finally, Van and Kiosun packed up their horses and set out for their new house. It took several days to reach their new land, but the house was everything Van could have wished for.

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The house rose in solitary splendor on the far edge of the valley. The old house had been burned down, and there was no trace of where it used to be. The barn had still been in perfect condition, and remained almost the same, with a new coat of paint. The flowers had all been replanted with night-blooming varieties. The soft white, yellow, blue, and pink glows lit the house. The house itself was a two-story house, made out of white granite. It looked like it could stand up to any test, be it wind, rain, or even the ravages of time.

Kiosun left the horses standing where they were and took Van's hand, leading him towards the house. The flowers they walked through released a subtle fragrance while fireflies took off, flashing annoyance at having been disturbed. Ki stopped before the door, and turned around.

"Close your eyes…" he whispered playfully. Van blinked once in surprise and obeyed. Feeling a gentle tug on his arm, he followed the guidance of his lover into the house. Kiosun positioned him to his liking, then stood behind him.

"Open your eyes," he breathed into Van's ear. Opening his eyes, Van was met with a stunning scene. Before him was a grand entranceway. The house was a great deal larger inside than it looked from the meadow, and it appeared to have been half built underground. Before him lay a double stairway, one set curving around on each side of the room and meeting in a long hallway balcony on the second floor. The balustrades were made of beautiful dark wood, shined to perfection. Heavy drapes in dark yet beautiful colors covered the windows, creating an atmosphere of mysticism. On the floor were exotic rugs in strange patterns, adding to the effect. To his right, there was a doorway, which was cracked open slightly. From what he could tell, it led to a set of stairs to the underground floor.

Van could say nothing, simply standing in awe. Ki seemed to understand, and took him by the elbow. "Come on, Van," Ki said, "let's go see the upstairs." Together they ascended the right hand staircase, their feet making no sound on the plush carpet.

The upper hallway was made of stone, which was softened by the occasional tapestry. Two doorways were set slightly in the stone, made of heavy wood like the stairways. Ki led Van to the first of these and opened it.

Inside was a bedroom whose elegance outshone even the entranceway. The focal point was the bed at the far wall. A large canopy above it matched the blood red coverlet. Two small dressing tables flanked either side and a set of closets and dressers mirrored each other on opposite sides of the room. Van stared around him, feeling tears prick his eyes. He turned to Ki and buried his face on Ki's shoulder, not quite weeping but close to it. Ki wrapped his arms around Van in surprise and anguish.

**__**

What's wrong? Don't you like it? I know it's not the palace, but I thought you would…

No, Ki, you've got it all wrong! I love it, it's perfect! It's just…I…

Van shoved images and feelings at Kiosun. His first impressions, his utter joy at having such a beautiful home to spend eternity in. He colored the images with his complete love and devotion to Kiosun, and told him exactly how he felt. Ki smiled brilliantly overjoyed that it met with Van's approval.

__

Besides, Ki…even the palace isn't this nice! It's all built along defensive lines. Small stone staircases and tiny hallways… The rooms are about the only thing at all rich, and some of those are downright primitive. Even mine wasn't this nice. Not only that…

Van tilted his head back slightly and gently bit Kiosun's lower lip, running his tongue along it while Ki shuddered slightly.

__

…I wasn't sharing my old room with anyone else as…absolutely gorgeous as you are.

Ki chuckled as Van pulled back slightly.

**__**

Ha…you can't lie to me! You weren't sharing that room with anyone! 

__

Only once…

Van trailed off. The memory was not unpleasant, but still sensitive. Kiosun had no idea what Van was talking about, since his vigil during Van's life had not included access to Van's rooms when Van was in them. Ki remained silent for a moment, trying to sort out the emotions coming through their link. Van realized what he was doing and suddenly imagined the bubble around him.

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Ki stepped back, hurt, as Van practically threw him out of his head. Van turned away, unable to face his lover. Ki remained silent, then his face hardened in anger. He had shared everything with Van! His whole childhood, how he became a vampire…and now Van refused to tell him about his "one time." Had he not respected Van's privacy before? Had he not taught him everything he knew about being a vampire? What more did Van expect from him? He gave up everything to be with Van, and he loved him with every fiber of his being! Did Van even care? Ki's mood changed from anger to self pity in an instant. He could do nothing more to prove his love to Van. Years he had spent, watching and loving Van. Ki had given up so much in those years.

A small voice of reason pointed out their psychic link. Didn't that prove their love? Ki's emotional side argued back, what is love without trust? The small voice had no reply.

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Van berated himself for blocking Kiosun. He had no reason to; he'd just reacted out of habit. He'd been hiding for so long…from Balgus, Merle, and even his parents. He'd been open with his brother, but once he'd left…Van had just shut everything inside. It had been hard, to not tell anyone about how he felt. There had been so many times when he'd wanted to climb to the top of the palace and shout to the entire city exactly what he thought of their rigid minds and discrimination. However, duty had always kept him from it. Duty had kept him from taking any male lovers. Duty had kept him from running far away. Now…duty had no hold on him. He was kyuuketsuki! He was free from his inheritance as prince! Free from all the young women who'd plagued him for years! Free from his overly strict teacher! 

He owed it all to Kiosun. Kiosun had been everything for him. He had been a stranger in the forest who revealed a startling secret. He'd been an understanding friend at the inns they'd stayed at. He'd been the responsible young man at the castle who worked everything out. He'd been like a brother at Lokia, treating his younger sib to a day of pure fun. And he'd been a lover, setting Van onto his true path that lead straight to happiness.

Van realized that he'd been acting like a real jerk. Like his feelings were all that mattered. But Kiosun mattered too. Van spun around, wrapping Ki in his arms. Ki stiffened, out of anger. Van opened his mind and poured everything out. All his feelings that he'd kept hidden, all his secrets, all his fears and insecurities. Ki was too stunned to react, absorbing the information as it invaded his mind. Van hugged him tighter and sobbed helplessly, reliving every memory as it left him. Before long, Kiosun was crying as well, though Van wasn't sure why. Before he knew it, Ki had guided them to the bed, and they were both sitting on it clutching at each other like children.

The flow of thoughts from Van slowed and finally ceased, leaving him feeling drained and exhausted. Ki's eyes were red and puffy from crying, and Van suspected he looked just as bad, if not worse. He sniffed and freed a hand long enough to rub his nose. Ki chuckled wetly.

**__**

Goddess Van…I love you so much! I can't believe I was mad at you. You had reasons for not telling me. I'm sorry for not understanding before. I should have, having watched you for all those years.

Oh, Ki, it wasn't your fault. I should have explained sooner. I'm just not used to…all of this. This complete trust…can you forgive me for not telling you?

****

You don't even have to ask…

Ki placed a gentle kiss on Van's forehead and pressed him onto the pillows. Van responded in kind, desperate for physical contact and reassurance. Kiosun was happy to comply, running his hands up and down Van's body, shedding clothing in their wake. Van moaned low in his throat as Kiosun's tongue invaded his mouth. Soon they were moving together on their new bed in perfect rhythm. At the height of their passion, Van let go all of his feelings with abandon and concentrated on pleasure, his and Kiosun's.

Finally, they collapsed together on the bed, sated and happy. Ki embraced Van warmly.

**__**

Oh, my koi…I love you so much! And we can be like this forever.

Van smiled sweetly, hair tousled.

__

Of course, Ki. Forever and ever. 


	7. Chapter 7

Later that night, Ki showed Van the rest of the house. The second door in the hallway was a guest bedroom, also built with no windows. The stairs leading to the "basement" actually led to a fully functional kitchen, a bathroom, and a sitting room. Ki explained that the kitchen was for any human guests they might have. The bathroom had a very large pool…it was too big to really be called a bathtub, and had the same type of piping system as Kuwaro's castle had. Kiosun grinned and gestured at the bathtub, "Big enough for two vampires and their wings! Or several humans without wings! It cost a fortune, but when you consider we'll be spending eternity here, what does money really matter?"

Van frowned. "Speaking of cost, Ki…how on Gaea did you afford this? Real wood for the staircase and doors, this giant tub, the stone exterior that makes this house into a fortress, and the very expensive rugs and tapestries… Any of those items cost more that what Kuwaro gave me. How did you afford all of this?" He gestured expansively to the entire house.

Ki looked sheepish. "Well, being a vampire for fifty years…a lot of people owe me a lot of things. A friend I saved from slavery works in a stone quarry now, and owed me a lot. He would have given me the stone free, but I insisted on paying. I got all the granite for at least half off. A merchant friend had the rugs and tapestries on hand, and sold them to me to avoid paying Fanalian taxes, since I'm not Fanalian. The wood was on a plot of land that was owned by the brother of a friend that owed me his life. I got that for practically pennies."

Van gaped. "Did you pay full price for _anything?_" 

Ki thought for a moment. "Actually, yes. I paid the carpenter full price for his labor. And a couple of the pieces of furniture."

Van rolled his eyes. "How did you get the tub? Or even the plans for the tub?"

"Well…your cousin kind of helped with that. I gave him the money you gave me in exchange for one of his newest pools. Once he knew who it was for, he even had his people come here to put in the pipes."

"When did you have time for all of this? I know we didn't spend all our time together in Lokia, but surely it took you time to travel to my cousin's palace and work the rest of it out."

Kiosun winked. "Trade secret."

Van thought this over. "So Kuwaro knows where we live?"

"Yes. He knows, but all his people don't know who lives here."

"That could be both good and bad. As long as he knows, he won't worry, and we can keep in touch about the kingdom. But if he knows, Balgus can find out."

"So we have to deal with Balgus soon. I think I'll take you to Fanalia in a few days. While we were in Lokia, I asked the innkeeper to get me a copy of the list for young vampires in training. We can start on that in the forests of Fanalia. Animal blood, like you've been using, is very well for emergencies. But human blood is what sustains us. You may have noticed you are still weak at times? Something in human blood is required for perfect health. Otherwise, vampires would use only animal."

Van nodded. "Makes sense. So we leave for Fanalia in a few days?"

"Yes. We can deal with Balgus and your training…and then come back here to live in peace!"

Van looked away. Something told him that it wasn't going to be that easy.

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Several months later…

"Balgus sir!"

Balgus turned to the soldier at attention in front of his desk. "Yes?"

"Sir! Another murder in the forest last night. Same as the others except for one thing. This body was not _completely_ drained sir. There was still a small amount of blood remaining."

Balgus sighed, not really surprised. "Who was it this time?"

"A notorious murderer, sir. Killed four women and one man in the past year."

Balgus frowned. Always, it was like this. Some criminal that his soldiers had been trying to capture would appear displayed by the side of the road, dead. Completely drained of blood with no indication of whom…or what…had killed him. Except for the two puncture wounds on his neck of course. Balgus had a suspicion that he knew exactly who was doing this, and it did not make him happy.

__

I should never have let him leave the palace! I should have kept him here. After his brother left, and his mother, and his father had died…he was never the same. It was his duty to rule this kingdom! I guarded his inheritance for him! I staved off rumors about his brother! I served his father all my life! And this is the way the ungrateful daemon repays me!

Balgus' thoughts drifted off into obscure violence and revenge. The boy had betrayed him! Just walked off…and then, he had received a letter just a few months ago, saying that the boy had left early for his dragon slaying ritual. Included in the letter had been a sealed packet with the neatly printed words "In the event of my disappearance…" Balgus had almost thrown the packet into the fire, but something had kept him from it.

Just thinking about the letter made him even angrier. At that moment, Balgus wanted nothing more than to kill Van…the daemon child who was even now killing criminals in his forest. Incoherent rage tinged his vision with red, which slowly turned to purple. Confused, he realized his vision had not changed to purple, but a blue pillar of light had surrounded him. The servant, still standing at rigid attention stared at Balgus in growing horror. Balgus felt his body lifting off of the chair and into the air. Astonished, he tried to fight the glow, but it was useless. Blackness edged his vision, then clouded over completely.

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Van stared at the limp body at his feet. Kiosun stood about five feet away, nodding his head. Van wiped the blood from his mouth and regarded it staining the back of his hand. Kiosun spoke up finally, relieving Van's tension.

"You're doing better."

"We've been here for two months. I always take too much! Why do they keep passing out?" Van cried in desperation.

"Nothing is wrong with you. It took me almost a year to control myself, and that was under the tutorage of the best vampire of that kiss. These things take time."

"Meanwhile, I drain all my prey," Van said bitterly. His first taste of human blood had been extreme ecstasy, and it still held him almost every time. His first human had been an evil but small time murderer. He wasn't with a group, and didn't have any real protection, so it had been easy to seduce him away from his camp. Ki taught Van how to really seduce his victims. It seemed that it did not matter what the victims' preferences were; a vampire attempting to seduce them was bound to succeed. It was some sort of magic that they possessed, similar to the magic that allowed them to fly, despite their human weight. Seducing a victim involved focusing on them completely and projecting sexual appeal through the eyes. Van wasn't sure how it worked, but it did, even if he didn't desire the victim. Ki spoke again, drawing Van's attention to the present.

"It's better than they deserve." He spat at the prey, a child rapist. Van silently agreed, but it still hurt him to kill humans for food. He had defended his kingdom from bandits before, and killed quite a few of them with the sword he still wore at his side. That seemed different somehow, more honorable.

__

At least they _had a chance to defend themselves…_

Kiosun seemed to notice the direction his thoughts had taken, but there was nothing he could say to dispute them. Silently, he bent down and snapped the prey's neck. He suspected that it was not Van's fault that the prey passed out. He was underfed and scrawny, so it was likely that he passed out because he lacked energy. Had the prey been healthy, he would still be standing. Van underestimated himself, and Kiosun knew that if he ever had a chance to go after a healthy human, he would have more than enough self-control. 

Turning away, Kiosun wished that there were another way to deal with it all…the killing, the seductions…the prey had no chance, really. No one could overcome a vampire. Van was not even at full strength and he'd overcome this pathetic human with no effort.

Despite his pessimistic view, Van _was_ getting better. He had not come close to draining the prey this time, or even last time. Beside that, though, he was changing in physical ways as well. He had learned to hide his teeth in regular situations. His pupils were no longer as dilated as they were when he first changed, either. The way he carried himself was different as well. Before, there had been a slight hesitation in the things he did. Now he carried himself with courage and authority. Looking at him, Kiosun felt his heart fill with pride. Years and years of watching and loving…finally, his dream had come true. He had a beautiful and intelligent vampire by his side who loved him. There was nothing more he could want.

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Van lifted the body and carried it towards the road. They had already decided to put the bodies of prey in different spots every time, so that if Balgus had posted a guard to see if anyone would return to the spot, they wouldn't be caught.

Van found himself wishing he could see his brother again. Their reunion had been joyful, but brief. He truly loved his brother, and had never stopped believing in him, even with all the rumors and disapproval of the other Fanalian people.

Turning slightly to see if Kiosun was following, he was met with an interesting sight. Kiosun was floating in a pillar of blue light, about five feet off the ground. Van gaped, then looked panicked as he realized that the blue light, too, surrounded him. Slowly his body lifted into the air, his hair floating gently around his face. Ki reached out to him and they grabbed hands quickly, pulling close to each other. The blue light didn't seem to care as they rose faster. Van's last thought before he blacked out was the hope that he could still hold onto Kiosun.

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Kiosun woke slowly, grasping at consciousness with all his strength. He was lying on a hard surface that was rough and pitted, but other than that, he couldn't tell much. Memory of what happened flashed in his mind…the blue light, reaching out to Van… His eyes snapped open in panic and he quickly sat up, searching around for his lover. To his relief, Van lay nearby, their hands still linked together. Taking a closer look at their surroundings, his heart fell. This was not Fanalia…this was not even Gaea.

Large buildings rose on either side of him. Unlike the buildings in Fanalia, these stones were all of uniform size, shape, and color. Dull red was interspersed with gray lines, creating an odd pattern. They were tall, too, far taller than any of the buildings he'd ever seen. Extending all his senses, Kiosun searched for anything that might be a threat. He heard nothing. Wondering what world they were in, he turned to Van, to wake him up.

Placing a hand on Van's shoulder and placing his hand over Van's mouth, he gently shook the youth awake. Van opened his eyes blearily; recognition flashed in them, and he nodded slightly. Ki removed his hand and helped Van to his feet. Van looked around; doubtless making the same assessment that Ki had just moments before.

"Where are we?" Van asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Another world, perhaps."

Van nodded agreement. Through unspoken agreement, they moved as one out from between the buildings. Before them was a grassy area with several small buildings, like sheds, and a large circular track surrounded by a metal fence. Nothing stirred except the occasional cricket. Ki looked around, disturbed. Van made a puzzled sound next to him.

Ki turned. "What is it?"

Van was staring up at the sky. "What happened to the second moon?"

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Ki followed his gaze. "Huh. I guess that means we must be on a different world."

Van just nodded and began walking to the track. Ki followed. There was really nothing they could do. He knew that they had to find shelter before daybreak, but in a new world, he didn't hold high hopes.

Before they reached the track, Van noticed two figures within the fence. One, a female, was wearing strange clothing…a pair of short pants and a shirt. The other, a tall male, stood on the side of the track, watching the female do what appeared to be exercises to loosen up. Van and Kiosun exchanged glances and lightly jumped the fence. Sticking to the shadows, they stood near to the boy. Van was slightly amazed at the male's utter ignorance. Two young men from another world were not ten feet from his back, and he didn't even seem to notice!

The young man shouted something at the girl. She nodded firmly, and then got in an odd position, her hands on the ground in front of her, with one leg bent slightly ahead. All of a sudden, light glared through the track area, blinding both vampires for a long moment. A girl was next to the giant light, waving at the first girl. The first girl smiled, then returned her attention to the boy. He shouted a single word and let a pendant fall from his hand to begin swinging. The girl took off running as fast as she could, arms pumping. The male was saying words rhythmically…Van could only conjecture that he was counting the number of times the pendulum swung. As the girl ran down the track towards them and the male, Van realized that both he and Kiosun were in the open, easily visible to her. As she got closer, she noticed them and began to slow, shock and surprise in her eyes.

Shock kept Van rooted to place, but Kiosun tore off his shirt and spread his wings, gesturing sharply at Van. Van realized what he wanted, and tore off his own shirt. Spreading his wings, he bent his knees to leap in the air. All of a sudden, the girl let out a startled exclamation…in their language. Van and Kiosun both stopped, poised on the edge of flight.

"You're…angels?!" She asked.

Van looked at Kiosun, understanding the word, but not quite… Ki quickly murmered an aside to him. "She means Draconian, I think."

The girl walked forward a few steps. The male was cautiously backing towards her. He said something in the other language to her, a question. She nodded. Van and Ki exchanged glances.

Ki stepped forward. "You know our language?"

The girl was still staring at his wings. "Yes…but…who are you?"

"My name is Kiosun. This is Van Fanel."

"Are you sure we should have told her?" Van whispered. 

Ki just nodded. "If we're going to find shelter before morning, we'll need someone's help. She speaks our language…she may be the only one who can help."

The girl looked uncertainly at the young man next to her. The second girl joined the first two. Within a moment, the male was explaining everything to her. The first girl took another step towards them.

"My name is Hitomi. Hitomi Kanzaki. Where did you come from?"

"We are from Gaea. A blue light transported us here, and now we don't know where we are."

Hitomi gaped at them. "You…you're on Earth."

"Earth?" Kiosun asked.

"Ki, hold on a second. If we can only see one moon in the sky…what if we're on the Mystic Moon?"

Ki turned, eyes widening. "You're right! That would make perfect sense." They both paused for a minute, taking in the big shock. Hitomi took another step towards them, startling both of them. Van mantled his wings, unable to suppress the reaction. Ki gave him an amused glance, thinking how like a falcon he was at times.

"So…why are you here?" Hitomi asked.

"We're not sure," replied Kiosun. "We need your help, though. We need shelter. A windowless room for both of us, to stay in during the day."

She laughed nervously. "What are you, vampires?"

__

Vampires! Do we tell her?

**__**

No, she is scared of us already. Just laugh and shrug it off.

Van chuckled and shook his head. "Vampires are just a myth."

The girl looked uncertainly at her friends. They remained silent, watching. Hitomi looked back at them. "I guess you could stay in my room while I'm at school. It has heavy shades that you could close. Would that do?"

"Perfectly." Ki answered for both of them. The girl turned to her friends and explained it to them. 

The young man looked upset, and shook his head, gesturing to the two winged figures. Hitomi said to them, "Amano objects to this. He doesn't trust you, and wants you to leave me alone. He wants you to swear not to harm me."

"I swear on the Mystic Moon and Gaea, no harm will come to you while we protect you." Ki stated. Van repeated it, and Hitomi nodded.

"All right, let's go." She and her two friends turned and began walking towards a break in the fence. Kiosun followed and retracted his wings. Van kept his out and directed a question at Kiosun.

__

Should I take aerial watch?

**__**

Would you? I'm not sure I trust these people. This new world may have threats we don't know about. If you take aerial watch, at least our backs are covered. Not only that, but I think these teenagers need to be impressed.

Van grinned wickedly and took flight, startling the trio in front of them. He knew he looked stunning, outlined by the moon, and took full advantage of it, hovering motionless for a few seconds before beating his wings to soar higher. The girls gasped, awed. Ignoring the distraction, Van took a thorough survey of the surrounding area. The entire place seemed to be a palace of some kind, though unlike any he'd seen before. Flying along, he kept a completely open mind with Kiosun, filling him in on all the aerial details.

They walked for some time through the area, then through gradually changing areas. These mostly consisted of houses, larger than any in Fanalia. They passed several stairs and went under a bridge, before arriving in front of another house, this one obviously Hitomi's.

Hitomi said goodbye to her two friends, and led Van and Kiosun up a small path to her door. Turning to Van, she politely requested that he withdraw his wings so that he wouldn't raise the suspicion of her mother. He bowed to her and did so, pleased at her exclamation as his wings vanished without leaving a mark on his back.

She dealt with surprises well; he had to give her that. She shrugged off her shock and opened the door, motioning for their silence. They followed her up a flight of stairs to her room.

Inside was a bed, looking quite normal. A dresser stood on one wall with a mirror attached to it, reflecting the room. Everything looked normal. Van wondered about that to himself; there were so many things in this world that were vastly different, yet there were other things that were the same. The girl gestured to her bed.

"You both can sleep there during the day, if you want. I'll sleep on the floor tonight, if you'd like to sleep on the bed tonight as well."

"No, we wouldn't want to take your bed from you. We shall sleep on the floor, both tonight and tomorrow. Tomorrow night, we will try to find our way home." Van winced slightly, because he really had no idea how that would be accomplished.

Hitomi nodded and turned to her closet. She pulled out several blankets and spread them on the floor, adding two pillows. Turning back to her closet, she pulled out a nightdress and folded it over her arm. Staring pointedly at them, she hesitated. Both young men turned around simultaneously and walked to the window, looking out it as they heard the sounds of clothing being shed.

**__**

Huh…wouldn't she be surprised to know her virtue is in no any danger!

Her "virtue" is safer with us than it would be with her friend Amano.

They laughed silently together until she cleared her throat. They turned back to her, and she gestured at the blankets on the floor. "There is your bed. Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat? We have ice cream, I think, or I could make you some ramen."

Van shook his head. "No thank you, your hospitality is enough. We ate recently, so we'll be fine until tomorrow night."

**__**

Quite a bit after that, actually, but there's no point in letting her know that. If we want to be in top condition though, we'll have to go hunting within the next three days.

Van nodded slightly to Kiosun's comment. Together they moved towards the makeshift bed. Not bothering to remove their pants, they fell in and wrapped themselves in the blankets. Van longed to reach out and be held by Kiosun, but Ki's voice warned him before he could move.

**__**

I'm sorry, love, but we need to know how these people treat people like us first. They could be worse that anyone on Gaea, and have us tortured or killed.

Van mentally caressed Kiosun and let his regret seep through their link. Ki just quirked his lips and looked back at their hostess. The girl perched on her bed, watching them.

"What is it like, on Gaea?" She pronounced Gaea strangely, the word foreign to her tongue. 

Van glanced at Kiosun, then back at the girl. "Gaea is a green land. It has many great forests that stretch across the land. I grew up in a palace in a place called Fanalia. My tutor was Balgus, the greatest swordsman of his time. He taught me everything I know about fighting, both in guymelefs and out. My brother left for his dragonslaying rite when I was still young, and when he disappeared without a trace, my mother left to search for him. She never returned, though I suspect she went home to Atlantis."

"Guymelef? Dragonslaying? Atlantis?" Hitomi looked confused. "What are all those things?"

"A guymelef…is like a giant mechanical human." Van answered slowly, not sure how to explain it to someone who had not grown up with them.

"A robot? A mecha?" Van shrugged at her query, recognizing neither word.

"Dragonslaying is a rite that princes have to go through before they can be king. They bring the heart back with them as proof. Atlantis is a place of the angels."

"Your mother was an angel?"

Ki answered for both of them. "Yes, as was mine. We're half-breeds though; our fathers were human."

Hitomi hugged a pillow to her chest, thinking. "I have so many questions…"

**__**

Van?

Yes?

****

I want to try something. It's like the link you and I use, except that I'm going to plant specific information in her mind.

Is that safe? What if she gets some of the vampire memories? Or…our memories?

****

I'll just be careful. Right now, we need her to know enough about us to help us get home. Not only is she our only ally, she's the only one that speaks our language.

Van reluctantly agreed. "Hitomi," he said, "Kiosun would like to try something to help answer those questions without wasting time. Would you please allow him to place his hands on your forehead for a few seconds?"

Hitomi looked puzzled but nodded. Kiosun rose from his cocoon of blankets and stood in front of Hitomi. Placing two fingers on each of her temples, he closed his eyes in concentration. She let out a little gasp and fell back on her bed, catching herself with an arm before she could fall. Kiosun shook his head slightly and turned back to Van.

"She's fine. I only gave her what she needs to know."

**__**

I also took a little something from her. Now I can speak her language fluently, though she doesn't know it yet. That might be helpful in the future. In addition, I took a very few images and concepts from her world. They don't have anything like guymelefs, and they have almost no horses at all. They get around on bikes and cars.

Ki returned to the blankets and wrapped himself up while he politely waited for Hitomi to recover. Meanwhile, he kept up a running commentary about the new world that they found themselves in. After a few seconds, he stopped and faced Van directly.

**__**

Here…

Ki sent images and words in a long, complicated string of thoughts, giving Van the new language called "Japanese." Everything flooded his mind at once, but he quickly locked down on the flow and regulated it. Unlike Hitomi, he would not have to spend precious minutes assimilating the new information. Ki smiled and nodded at his fast recovery. Hitomi shook her head a few times and straightened.

"I think…" she paused. "I think I need to sleep."

Van realized that now she seemed to be speaking Japanese. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he was pretty sure that the Powers That Be had begun to meddle. Perhaps they had made her speak their language; then once they knew hers, it was no longer necessary so she lost that information.

Kiosun caught the tail end of that thought and agreed.

**__**

I did not give her our language, and she does not seem to know it anymore. All I gave her were the quick points of where we were from. She is, I think, desperate to believe in something more…magic, divining, dowsing, and tarot card readings.

Van nodded and tucked the thought away to be pondered at some other time. Hitomi was looking at them with a slight frown on her face and Van realized they had not replied to her earlier statement. 

"We should all get some sleep." Van said quickly. Seeing that their hostess was in no condition to think of anything practical, Van stood up, letting the blankets fall to the ground and walked to the light switch. Flipping it into the "off" position, he mentally congratulated himself on figuring out the strange new technology. Kiosun chuckled from his place on the floor, and Van realized he'd been projecting again. He grinned himself and returned to his makeshift bed. He fell asleep almost immediately, reminding himself sternly not to reach for Ki in the night as he was usually inclined to do. Ki chuckled again and joined his lover in the land of dreams.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hitomi woke early the next morning to her mother's gasp from the doorway. She fought her way from the tangled blankets and blinked sleepily. "Wha…oh." She flushed guiltily. On the floor were her two guests from last night. Her mother was staring at them, stunned. They were sprawled untidily on the floor about a foot apart, entirely hidden in shadows. Hitomi's window was closed and the drapes pulled tightly together, allowing no light into the room. She remembered their odd request and frowned.

"Mother…I can explain…" She winced at how her words sounded. 

Her mother shook her head. "The only reason I have not yet thrown them out of the house yet is because they both have their pants on. Not only that, they are both sleeping on the floor. Also…" she hesitated. "I do not think that you could…or would…have done anything while I was downstairs. However, I would like an explanation."

Hitomi cast around desperately. "Umm…well, they're friends of mine, and they needed a place to stay just for tonight because…they…couldn't pay their rent for this week. So I told them they could stay here last night."

Her mother looked at her severely for a minute. "I know you're lying, Hitomi! I think I am being very generous about this entire incident, but I want to know the truth."

Hitomi sighed. "The truth? I don't even know if I believe it myself. They showed up at the track last night. They both had black wings then, and they were very frightened. I…spoke to them in a different language, and they knew it. They asked for shelter for a night, a room with no window, and since no one else could speak to them, I said I would help."

Her mother's eyes widened but she accepted the explanation without pause. "Just like your grandmother…" she whispered.

Hitomi was confused. Her grandmother? All of a sudden, the alarm clock next to the bed beeped imperiously. Glancing at the time, Hitomi gasped and leapt out of bed. Shedding her nightgown, she quickly got a clean school uniform and put it on. Grabbing her bookbag and the lunch her mother was holding, Hitomi paused on the threshold of her door. "Mother…leave the window closed, and please make sure they eat when they wake up." Then she rushed from the house, anxious to get to school and everything she was sure of.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mihira looked after her daughter as she disappeared down the hallway. Hitomi had never lied to her and gotten away with it. Lies were easy to spot on her innocent face. And she had been telling the entire truth when she spouted that incredible story.

Looking back at the sleepers on the floor, she shook her head. There was another reason she had not jumped to horrible conclusions when she saw the two young men in Hitomi's room. The two…slept in such a way that their relationship was clear. Perhaps not to Hitomi, but their body language screamed "lovers" to her. The careful distance they maintained, the way they seemed so aware of each other… Even as she watched, the younger of the two extended a hand toward the other, then pulled back quickly and turned over, still asleep. Mihira had no doubt that even in sleep, his subconscious warned him not to behave strangely.

Mihira shook her head sadly. The horrible stereotypes and homophobic people made existence for these two full of fear. Fear of being discovered and killed. In Japan, it was not bad, but when she had lived in America…

She shuddered and wrapped her arms around her body. Young men and women all over were taunted, pushed around, insulted, slandered, and sometimes killed. It was awful. Well…the least she could do for these two was provide shelter and reassurance. Judging from their thin frames, they could use some good food too. She hesitated, then stepped forward. Placing her hand on the older one's shoulder, she gently shook him awake.

He woke slowly and cringed from the window. All of a sudden, his eyes snapped open and he jumped up and twirled to face her. She remained very still and held her arms slightly away from her body. His eyes flicked behind him, assessing his position and his companion's safety. If Mihira had had any doubt of their relationship before, it was immediately stilled when he moved to a place where he could easily defend the young man still sleeping. He remained silent and watchful, eyes nearly slits against the slight artificial light from the hallway.

Mihira spoke slowly, careful not to startle the young man further. "I am Hitomi's mother, Mihira. She has left for school already." She stopped, uncertain of what else to say.

The young man glanced narrowly down at his sleeping companion, who snapped awake. Mihira's eyes widened as both men stared at her. "But you didn't even touch him!" she gasped. The first shrugged as the second spoke softly.

"My name is Van Fanel. I don't know how much your daughter told you, but I suspect if we're ever to get home, we need to trust you. Kiosun and I traveled from a place called Gaea in a pillar of blue light. Now, we don't know how to get back."

Mihira nodded. "I understand. Hitomi said you spoke a different language, but I can understand you perfectly. Why?"

Kiosun sighed slightly and nodded at Van. Van shrugged and turned back to her. Mihira was surprised at how well these young men were able to communicate…just a glance between them and it seemed they had decided something important.

Van gestured at Kiosun. "Ki would like to try something with you as we did with Hitomi. He will be placing all necessary information into your head so that we do not spend large amounts of time explaining."

Mihira smiled reassuringly. "That would be fine."

Kiosun stepped forward and placed two fingers on her temple. Suddenly she was barraged with hundreds of images and thoughts, swirling in chaos through her mind. At the same time, she felt something leave her…a few images of her childhood, her time in America… It all spun around until she was dizzy and fell back against the door. She blinked blearily up at Kiosun, not understanding why he was giving her that odd look.


	8. Chapter 8

**__**

Van, this woman knows a lot about us. Her grandmother was in Gaea at one time! She always believed the tales to be myths and legends, but now that she has seen us, she knows that's not true. She also knows about our relationship…and…Van, she…

__

What? She what?

**__**

The only reason she has Hitomi is because she was raped. Hitomi's father was a young high school student from "America." This woman, Mihira, hates men.

__

She's like us?

**__**

Yes. She did not like men before, but after she was raped, she could not stand them at all. She tells Hitomi that her father died years ago, and made her believe that it was a marriage full of love. Hitomi does not ask her mother about it because she believes her mother still hurts inside.

Van looked at the woman on the floor with concern. She appeared to be adjusting to the new information without problems…

__

So she is like us…but how did she know about our relationship? How can she know we're lovers?

Ki's thoughts became pink with embarrassment. He sent Van the image of them sleeping together-not-together that morning, and Mihira's accompanying thoughts. Van blushed as well, ashamed to have reached out like that. Ki shook his head.

**__**

No love, don't be like that. You can't help it; I'm just too good to keep your hands off of!

Van mock-glared at him. "Oh really?" he said out loud. "I'm not the only one! Remember all the times at those inns when I woke up to find _your_ arms around _me_?" Ki chuckled, not at all fazed.

A small cough from the woman on the ground interrupted them. Mihira was staring up at them and blushing furiously. "Maybe I should go…" she muttered. Ki laughed again and shook his head.

"No need, lady. I'm sure Van here can mind his manners from now on!" He winked at her while Van raised one ebony eyebrow.

Mihira studied the floor intently, puzzling something out. Slowly she looked up at them. "You don't say anything aloud, but somehow you exchange information. How are you doing it? And why don't you hide your relationship anymore?"

Van bowed his head under Ki's glare. "My fault," he said. Ki just shrugged. Van continued his explanation.

"Ki and I are telepaths. We can speak mind to mind. Ki used an extended form of that to give you the information about Gaea. At the same time, he accessed some of your memories of this place so we can understand where we are. However, he got more than he bargained for. You already knew about us, so there is no need to hide it from you. However, we now know a bit more about you. We know about Hitomi's father and your preferences."

Mihira's eyes filled with tears. "No one…" she whispered. "I never told anyone about that…"

Van nodded sympathetically and bent to one knee in front of her. "You have nothing to fear from us, lady Mihira. We will not tell Hitomi anything about you if you will not tell her about us."

Mihira nodded, sniffed, and stood up shakily. "I should be a proper hostess. Would you like something to eat? Drink?" As she spoke, she walked to the window and, forgetting her daughter's warning, pulled the shades open.

Sunlight streamed through the window, hitting both Van and Kiosun. Both young men recoiled, but Kiosun had faster reflexes and spread his wings to cover them. Feathers began to burn and turn to dust as both whimpered and moaned in pain. Mihira stared in shock, unable to react to what was happening. Van stood up and wrapped his wings around himself. He ran with vampiric speed to the window and grabbed both shades, shoving Mihira out of the way. Closing them quickly, he collapsed in a heap and began to sob.

Kiosun shuddered where he lay, assessing his injuries. He was covered in angry red burns and his wings were in horrible shape. If he could fly within a month, he'd be surprised. Van lay nearby and looked to be in similar shape, only less able to deal with the shock and pain of his burns. Mihira sat on her daughter's bed, staring at them both with confused eyes.

Ki moaned and closed his eyes, wishing for oblivion…Van responded to the sound, dragging himself closer and reaching out to Kiosun.

"Ki…are you ok?" He sounded so worried, Ki had to respond.

"Yes…I'm covered in burns and my wings are half dust, but I'm alive. You?"

Van just sobbed and moved closer. "A sword wound…I could deal with. An arrow through the shoulder, even. But this is agony…"

Kiosun had to agree. Pain flared all over his body, making it hard to think clearly. For long minutes, they just lay there, unable to move or speak. After what seemed to be an eternity, Mihira's voice spoke from above their heads.

"Van? Kiosun? What can I do to help?" She sounded scared.

Van was the first to summon his strength. "Cool…water…healing salve…Until nightfall, nothing…else can…be done." Van panted with effort. He listened as Mihira left the room, her soft footfalls disappearing down the hall. Moments later, the sound of running water drifted to his ears, soothing and restful.

Perhaps a half-hour later, Mihira returned and knelt beside him again. "I set up a bath of cool water. I covered the windows in there and in the hall so you can get there without more pain…is there anything else?"

Van shook his head faintly. "I don't think so…but I don't know if I can make it there by myself. Kiosun will need help too…he was more in the light when the window was opened."

Mihira muttered assent and grabbed a blanket from the floor. Wrapping him carefully in it to avoid chafing his skin, she slung one arm around his shoulders and one around his waist. Hobbling across the room and down the hallway, she finally managed to get him on the bench next to the bathtub. He lay weakly back, exhausted from the minor effort. Mihira stared at him for a moment and left again.

Van lay quietly, finally mustering enough strength to remove his pants and slide into the tub. The water enveloped him, flowing over his burning skin and soothing it gently. A half-suppressed sob of relief escaped him as the water hissed against his burns and rose as steam, taking the painful heat with it. A minute later, Mihira came back into the room with Kiosun draped over her shoulders. He had evidently passed out, and Mihira was unsure of what to do next. Van solved her problem.

"Leave him here, I can get him comfortable."

She nodded in relief. "I'll go get some burn salve. What else can I do? And why did this happen?"

Van sighed, wishing she had not asked that. However, this woman was helping them, and deserved an explanation. "Ki and I are vampires. Not your traditional sort, turning into bats and all, but rather a blend of Draconian and human. Lucard Rimidalv was our ancestor, and the vampiric disease he carried spread to all his daughter's children and to us. He spread the disease through the Draconians, but the precautionary measures that they eventually took were not enough to stop the vampiric race from existing. Evidently there are many, many more vampires in Gaea than any of the humans suspect."

Mihira had paled several shades. "V—vampires?!"

"Yes. Come nightfall, I will go hunting. I suspect Ki will not be in any shape to come with me, but I will bring him his prey for this night, at least. After we both feed, we will be healed within days…although it will take longer for our wings to heal."

Mihira looked quite faint. Apparently, she could deal with strange young men with telepathic powers from a different planet…but not vampires. She nodded and walked out of the room, leaving Van alone with Kiosun. As soon as she'd left, Van slumped against the wall of the tub, far more exhausted than he'd let on. After a few more minutes of pain, he managed to get out of the tub and over to the bench where Kiosun lay.

Getting Kiosun into the tub had to be one of the most difficult things Van had ever done. Every touch he knew was agony for both of them. Ridding Ki of his pants, Van was relieved to find that Ki's legs had very little damage, being hidden by cloth when the sun hit them. After several sweat-drenched minutes passed, Ki was safely in the tub and beginning to revive. Van sighed in relief again as the water slid around him again. Now he could relax a little.

"Van…?" Ki's eyes were half lidded and glazed with pain.

__

Yes?

**__**

It hurts…

Ki sounded ready to break down and start weeping like a small child. That scared Van more than any of his injuries.

__

I'm sorry love…I'm sorry I can't do more for you. It will be hours before sunset, and until then, I can do nothing. After sunset, I'll go hunting and bring you something back.

**__**

Alright…

Ki lapsed into silence. Van felt the temperature of the water and decided to run more cold water into the tub. Figuring out the faucets was surprisingly easy with Hitomi's memories, and soon the blessedly cool water was lapping at their skin once more. Kiosun fell into a calm slumber just before Mihira returned.

"I brought some salve for you. I ran to the local pharmacy and got several jars of the stuff…it says it's good for burns and abrasions…" She set the green jars on the table nearest Van and paused uncertainly. "Is there nothing else I can do?"

Van sighed. "It is not something I would ask of you. It would be too much for you to handle."

Mihira stared at him in puzzlement. Van watched calmly back. Finally her eyes widened and she stepped back involuntarily. "Oh…"

Van nodded. "Indeed. However…" Looking at Ki's troubled face decided him. "Do you have any friends…girlfriends, boyfriends, it doesn't matter…that have always wanted to believe in something more? Do you know of anyone who believes in spirits and vampires?"

She understood what he was hinting at immediately. "Yes, there's an animator friend of mine that does. Do you want me to bring her here?"

"Yes," Van breathed. Then he paused, considering. "You have a telephone?"

"Yes, of course. Why?"

"I think it would be better if I called her. She'll be less likely to refuse." Van grinned faintly, allowing his elongated canines to show. Mihira shuddered faintly and left the room, returning moments later with a small portable telephone. She dialed the number and handed it to him. A ringing echoed from inside the phone, and Van raised an eyebrow. The memories rose within him and he held it to his ear. After three rings, a young woman answered the phone.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Hello. Is this…" Van glanced at Mihira and read her lips without effort. "Yuuhi?"

"Yes. And you are?"

"My name is Van Fanel. I am a friend of Mihira's. She tells me that you believe in _Vampires_…" The word trailed off his lips, promising the world, implying dark things, hinting at shadows, and blood.

"I…yes…" Yuuhi said slowly. "Yes, I do…I want to…"

"Yuuhi." Van's voice held command and tenderness. "I _am_ Vampire. I want to meet you. Will you meet with me? Today, at Mihira's house. My friend and I need your help, Yuuhi. You need to come here right away." He said this with promise, compassion, and a hint of things that are fey. Laced in his voice was the magic of vampires, a magic that begged and compelled. As Van suspected, she could not resist him. After a few moments of heavy silence, she sobbed her agreement and hung up the phone.

Van grinned at Mihira, and she flinched at the look in his eyes. "She will be here shortly."

"She'll be alright, won't she? You won't hurt her, will you?" Mihira involuntarily shifted into a fighting stance, hinting at previous martial arts training. Van raised an eyebrow at her and she realized that he was in no condition to fight her. She relaxed and he shook his head.

"Yuuhi will be fine. She'll feel faint, of course, from lack of blood, but there will be no lasting harm. She might not be able to drive herself home, though."

Mihira considered this. "I understand. She can stay here for as long as she needs to."

Van nodded and glanced around the bathing room. "Do you have a robe or something for Ki and I to wear? It would be rather uncomfortable to feed from Yuuhi in here."

Mihira nodded and left to see what she could find. Van looked over at Kiosun, becoming even more worried when he realized that through everything, Ki had not woken once. His face was twisted with pain and he kept shivering despite his burns.

__

He's not in good shape…I have got to do something.

Van shifted and clasped his lover's shoulders, pulling Ki towards him and resting Ki's head on his chest. Ki lay back without protest. Van hesitated only a second, debating the results of his actions.

__

At least it will keep him safe until Yuuhi gets here, and he can't wait much longer. He was hit with the entire blast of light…

Lifting his wrist to his mouth, Van bared his teeth and bit into his vein, opening two gashes in his vein. He then held his wrist above Kiosun's mouth, allowing several drops to fall inside. Ki reacted immediately, eyes opening and focusing on the bloody wrist in front of him. Van sighed with relief and held his wrist to Ki's mouth.

__

At least he recognizes blood…

Van stifled a moan as Kiosun began to drink directly from his vein. In his delirious state, Ki hadn't cut the aphrodisiacs from his saliva, and in Van's weakened state, he couldn't protect against them.

__

Doesn't matter…He's getting better already…he'll stop in a few seconds, I'm sure.

True to Van's prediction, Ki did stop after several seconds. He licked apologetically at the wound and looked at Van with worried eyes. Kiosun's burns had begun to heal cleanly and he stopped trembling.

**__**

Van? Are you all right? You shouldn't have given me your blood; you were in the sun too…

Van smiled gently. "Believe me, love, you needed it more than I did. I called a woman on the telephone, and she should be here shortly to feed us both. Mihira, our host, went to get us some clothes so we don't have to meet the woman while we're naked."

Ki smiled vaguely at the weak joke and sank back against Van's chest. Van wrapped his arms around Kiosun as the cool water lapped serenely at their shoulders, at odds with the pain they both felt.

"Van, I found you some robes! …Oh. Umm." Mihira blushed and glanced away from them. Van grinned and didn't move.

"Thank you. You can leave them on the bench over there." Van watched amused as she blushed even more brilliantly and threw the robes in the general direction of the bench and fled the bathroom, embarrassed.

**__**

That wasn't very nice, you know.

__

She said she could deal with it earlier.

**__**

I think she meant our relationship in general, not our snuggle sessions.

__

Too bad. I didn't feel like moving.

All of a sudden, Van's entire world slid sideways for a second and he gasped. Ki looked up at him, concerned, and frowned.

"You overdid it, Van. You were weak enough before you gave me your blood, but now it's a struggle for you to even stay awake, isn't it?"

Van nodded meekly, and winced as the world kept moving. Hearing voices from downstairs, he groaned. "She's here, and I'm not even dressed yet."

Ki stood up slowly, and flexed his fingers. Van's blood had done a lot for him, and he felt almost normal, despite being completely exhausted and in pain. Stepping out of the tub, he grabbed the towels next to the robes and dried off. Next, Kiosun slid his arms around Van and gently lifted him out of the tub and set him on the bench. He tenderly dried Van off and slipped the smaller robe around his shoulders.

The second robe went around his own shoulders, chafing his burnt wings and making him hiss in pain. Glancing at Van, he realized that both of them had left their wings out to be tended. Well, it would have to wait.

"Van…Van?"

"Mmph?" Van cracked an eye open.

"You need to retract your wings." Ki trailed a finger down Van's cheek and followed his own orders, both of them moaning as the pain increased, then cut off entirely.

Van sighed and stood up shakily, throwing a hand out at the wall to brace himself. Black and red stars whirled in his vision and disappeared again as the room came back into focus.

Ki stared at Van with raised eyebrows, then eyed the robes that they wore. "Van, aren't these kimonos?"

Van looked at them. "Yeah. With…_flowers_?"

"Pink and pale purple kimonos with light blue and green flowers…I thought you said she was getting us robes?"

"I guess she couldn't find any."

Ki snorted. "Huh. All we need now is white rice powder and red paint and we'd be Japanese women."

Van considered this. "I guess the tables have turned on you, Ki."

"What do you mean?"

"I just keep remembering a number of times when I ended up wearing various feminine scents. That incident in Kuwaro's palace, and in Lokia, and in our new house, and—"

Ki laughed and put up his hands. "Alright, alright, enough!" Shrugging and unrepentant, Ki changed the subject. "We should probably go meet with the young woman you called."

"Her name is Yuuhi. She's an animator friend of Mihira's, and she wants to believe in Vampires and spirits. When I called, I established a few threads of obedience, so as long as you can see those, we're all set." Van leaned against the wall and gathered his strength. Ki held out an arm, and together they stumbled down the hallway and down the stairs to where the voices came from.

"…My daughter brought them home last night and I walked in on them this morning, curled up on the floor. Hitomi left as soon as she could, most likely trying to avoid responsibility."

Laughter echoed in the hallway from the two girls. Van looked at Kiosun, then tapped gently on the doorframe. The laughter quieted and Mihira called for them to enter. Van and Kiosun stepped into the room with all the grace they could muster, gathering the darkness around them like a cloak. The innocent kimonos suddenly took on a dark meaning, becoming almost black and mystical. The shadows in the room fled from their presence as both young vampires became shadows and used every vampiric trick they knew to prove who they were.

Vampire. Kyuuketsuki. _Dangerous_.

Mihira meeped and shrank into her seat, but the other woman, Yuuhi, looked at them with hunger in _her_ eyes.

Ki saw the strands of obedience that Van had put in place and gathered them carefully. Vampires were given limited magic when they went through the ritual, and destiny gave them the gifts they'd need to survive. Most vampires worshipped a form of Lord Destiny or Lady Luck because of this, and Ki suspected that Lord Destiny had a great deal in store for them. Ki knew he was one of the strongest vampires that had ever lived, but judging from Van's command of the obedience magic, it wouldn't be long before the younger man outstripped even him.

Yuuhi stood up and stumbled towards them, opening her arms and falling into Van and Kiosun's loose embrace. Van looked at Kiosun for directions. Ki nodded at him. "You first."

Van didn't bother to argue, just nodded and bent to Yuuhi's neck. His teeth bit into her skin and tapped into the thick vessel nestled beneath it, allowing the thick, delicious blood to throb out and into his mouth. Meanwhile, he allowed the aphrodisiacs in the sacks behind his teeth to enter her bloodstream and rage through her body. She moaned and sank to the floor, smiling and panting, clutching at his clothing. He swallowed ravenously, stopping only when Kiosun placed a warning hand on his shoulder. He grinned slightly and licked her neck, activating the other glands with the special liquid that closed up the wounds and healed them. Ki stood above him, patiently waiting and smiling indulgently as Van sighed happily.

"Your turn."

Ki nodded and bent to his task while Van looked at Mihira. Considering everything that had happened in the past few hours, she was taking it all quite well. Her eyes were wide and staring straight at him. He wiped blood from his lips, enjoying her shock when he licked it off his fingers with obvious pleasure. Then her eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted.

"Oh…shit…" Van muttered as he hurried to her side. Looking over at Kiosun and Yuuhi, he decided that it would really be kinder to let Mihira sleep. Finally, Kiosun stood up and smiled at the young woman on the floor, her eyes glazed with pleasure.

Van walked over to Kiosun, he feet making no sound on the floor. Kiosun grinned and held his arms open for Van to step into. Van looked up eagerly and smiled as Ki kissed him, softly at first but with increasing ferocity. Blood mingled between them, Yuuhi's, Van's, and Kiosun's, leaking from cuts on their lips and tongues. Van wove his fingers through Kiosun's long, raven hair and pressed closer to his lover. After a few minutes they broke apart again and walked together to the couch on the far wall, sinking onto it gracefully.

Despite their recent feeding, they both knew that they were far from recovered. For the moment, they were content to lean against each other and watch the two females in the room. Yuuhi was sleeping peacefully on the floor, a little pale but otherwise unhurt. Mihira was groggily shaking her head and looking around the room, confused. Seeing Van and Kiosun on the couch and Yuuhi lying on the floor, she ran to Yuuhi and checked her pulse. When Mihira sat back with and obvious sigh of relief, Van couldn't help but react with annoyance.

"I told you she wouldn't be harmed," he snapped. She looked at him with fear in her eyes. Ki reached over to Van and gently pulled him closer.

"Relax, love. What would you suspect if you saw a friend lying on the floor after watching us both feed?"

Van muttered agreement and settled back on the couch, falling peacefully asleep. Ki watched him for a few seconds before he too, felt his eyelids drooping. His last glimpse before he fell asleep was of Yuuhi being helped to a chair by Mihira.


	9. Chapter 9

Hitomi opened the door and slipped inside the house. From the sounds coming from the kitchen, her mother was cooking dinner. Hitomi sighed and walked into the kitchen, not sure what to expect from her mother, especially after leaving her with the two young men all day.

"Mom! I'm home!" she called out.

"I'm in the kitchen making dinner!" Mihira replied. "It should be ready in a few minutes. Yuuhi is here for dinner too. Your guests are sleeping upstairs in the guestroom, but I wouldn't disturb them if I were you. They had a rather traumatic day."

Hitomi pondered the cryptic remark for a few minutes, then decided that it would be best to find out from her mother right away. Dropping her backpack by the stairs, Hitomi walked into the kitchen and leaned against the doorframe.

Her mother was dropping some spices into a large bowl and running a finger down the recipe while muttering the ingredients. When Mihira heard Hitomi in the doorframe, she jumped and whirled around. When she saw it was only Hitomi, she relaxed and smiled.

"Hi darling, I was just…just…" Her smile faltered a bit, then disappeared completely. "Hitomi, what's wrong?"

Hitomi shook her head. "You were the one that jumped. You were the one who said that the two guests had a traumatic day. You were the one who invited Yuuhi over…and you _never_ invite guests over. You always go to their house. I'm surprised Yuuhi even knew where to come! I think that _you_ need to tell _me_ what's wrong." Throughout the tirade, Hitomi had become angry, but when she saw her mother's expression, all her anger melted away.

"What's wrong, mom?" Hitomi asked softly.

"I just had a long day, and your guests were having a difficult time adjusting to this new world. If I were you," Mihira said with a faint grin, "I would go shopping with them tonight. They needed clothes, since their shirts were ripped, and the only robes I found them that were large enough…"

Hitomi gasped. "No, you didn't!"

"I did!" Mihira replied gleefully. "The lovely kimonos in those beautiful pastel colors!"

Hitomi shook her head, laughing, having already forgotten her mother's earlier distress. "I'll take them out tonight. I think the department store in Ginza prefecture stays open all night."

"Alright. Get money from my purse…I think that should cover the subway tickets and a decent wardrobe for both of them. Make sure they don't get in any trouble, and buy a pair of shades for each of them, a gift from me."

"I will." Hitomi grabbed a handful of bills from her mother's wallet and walked upstairs. Yuuhi was asleep in her mother's room, tangled in several blankets with a pleased smile on her face. Hitomi gaped for a few seconds, then shook her head and walked on to her room. Every window in the hallway was closed and it took her a second to locate the door handle. Inside, both Van and Kiosun lay on the covers, limbs tangled. As she watched, Kiosun shifted to his left a bit and…

…promptly fell off the bed. Jerking awake with a start, he looked around, confused. Van's eyes had snapped open and closed almost immediately. Muffled laughter could be heard from him as Kiosun muttered something and focused on Hitomi.

"Ah, Hitomi," he said with a smile. "How was school?"

Van sat up and stretched, cat-like. Hitomi shrugged uncomfortably as her breath caught in her throat. "It went well. Amano wanted to be sure that you hadn't molested me, my teachers wanted to know why my homework wasn't done, and Yuki wanted to know if he--" she pointed at Kiosun, "was available."

Van's mouth twitched and Kiosun burst into laughter. Ki finally gained control of himself and shook his head. "No, I'm not available. I'm already married."

Hitomi's eyes widened. "Already? How old are you?"

"He's not exactly married…" Van began, at the same time Kiosun replied, "I lost track."

Hitomi raised an eyebrow. "Not exactly? Lost track?"

Van shook his head. "He never went through the marriage ceremony, but as far as everyone involved is concerned, they're married. He's nineteen years old."

Hitomi looked at Kiosun, who nodded ruefully. Putting aside her questions, she decided to broach the subject of shopping. "My mother suggested I go with you to shop for some new clothes."

The pair nodded. "New clothes would be appreciated," Van said with a chuckle. Kiosun hid a smile behind his hand and nodded agreement.

Hitomi held up the money she held in her hand. "Mom gave me some cash. Do you want to leave now?"

Ki looked nervously at the window as Van cringed slightly. Hitomi glanced in puzzlement at them. Van coughed and said hoarsely, "Is it sunset yet?"

"Yes…just a few minutes ago." Hitomi watched them carefully. Van relaxed and Kiosun shuddered, rubbing a hand over his arms as though they pained him. They exchanged glances and stood up. Van bowed to her and gestured for her to lead the way. Kiosun smiled gently and said nothing, following her into the hall. Then he glanced in Mihira's room at Yuuhi. Seeing that she was sleeping still, he winced and ran a hand through his hair uncomfortably.

"Do you think she's…" Van appeared worried.

"She's fine. She just needs rest," Ki replied in an undertone. Hitomi politely ignored the exchange and bid her mother farewell. Van stopped Hitomi just before she left the house.

"Are you sure we should go out in these?" he asked, gesturing to the kimonos.

Hitomi raked them with a look. "No. Go change into your pants and torn shirts. Otherwise you'll have men crawling over you in seconds." She shook her head and sat on the padded bench near the door. Van and Kiosun trotted upstairs and came back in a few minutes, looking far worse for the wear in their tattered shirts, but seeming amused.

Hitomi looked them over again, critically. Van's shirt was ripped in the front, showing a well-muscled chest and stomach. Kiosun's shirt was ripped at the shoulders and back, revealing a great deal of pure white flesh. However, on both men there were livid burns, red and harsh. In some places there was skin that seemed covered in scars, thin lines that were a shade paler than their regular skin. Hitomi blinked, but the thin lines and burns remained. "What happened?"

"We had a hard time adjusting to the new world…" Kiosun muttered, studying his feet. Hitomi frowned, then shrugged and led the way out of the house.

"Come on. First we ride the subway to Ginza, then we can hit all the department stores."

Van nodded, glancing back at the house once more, then turning to smile at Hitomi. Her heart skipped a beat and she blushed. Praying that the darkness hid her reaction, she wondered about it.

__

I thought I was in love with Amano…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

**__**

Van, we have a problem.

__

Oh?

**__**

That girl is falling in love with you…

__

That's not good…How can you tell?

**__**

Van, you're a vampire! Tune into her heartbeat. Whenever she looks at you, it speeds up. 

Kiosun chuckled at Van's string of vicious curses. Hitomi turned her puzzled face towards them, a question on her lips. Van shook his head before she could voice it and grinned at her. "Never mind, it's not important. Personal joke," he added and winked, glad that she didn't know they were telepathic. Kiosun could sense the turmoil in Van's mind as he realized how accurate Ki's observation was. Ki was hard pressed to refrain from bursting into laughter at Van's expression after Hitomi turned back around.

**__**

Don't worry, I'll help you find a way out of it! We just have to tell her you're not available.

__

How? From her statement earlier, about men jumping us if we left the house in those kimonos, she's not partial to the idea.

**__**

Actually, I thought she was relatively neutral on the subject. Her mother wouldn't let her grow up with a bias like that. The only reason I think she mentioned that was for our sake.

__

Hmm…Perhaps. Or perhaps we should simply not mention the fact that my life partner is a male.

**__**

Ah, but where's the fun in that?

Van shot a sideways glance at Ki.

__

Kiosun, please remember that we are her guests right now, and if she threw us out, we'd have no safe house.

**__**

Her mother wouldn't let her. Once Hitomi left us in Mihira's care, she gave up all rights to us.

__

Are you sure about that?

**__**

No. But I'm sure Mihira wouldn't allow us to be thrown out.

__

Fine. So, what do we tell her?

**__**

Just be patient. I'll find a perfect time to tell her!

Van winced. This did not bode well…But there was really nothing he could do to stop Ki, so he might as well relax and enjoy the show. Realizing that Hitomi had just said something, he looked at her guiltily. "What was that?"

"I said, we're at the subway station now." Van looked around him and his eyes widened. Subways on either side of him and maps on the wall in front of him caught his eye. In the artificial white light, the colors were astounding, almost as though they were highlighted by sunlight. The subway station was not quite empty, and he and Kiosun were attracting quite a few stares from the people around them. Hitomi led the way to a small booth and spoke rapidly to the man behind the glass. He handed her three tickets in exchange for some of the money, then pointed at one of the subways. Hitomi thanked the man and led the way to the subway.

The subway ride was fairly uneventful, though both vampires were slightly claustrophobic and had trouble remaining calm. Hitomi explained that this wasn't a very common problem, but that if both of them kept taking deep breaths and thinking of open spaces, it would be over soon.

She was right. They disembarked in the Ginza station (which looked exactly like the first) and walked up the stairs into the Ginza prefecture. Hitomi gave them each a map of the area that she obtained in the station and pointed to a small place next to a large blue building.

"That is where we'll meet if we get separated. It's right over there—" she pointed across the street. Van and Kiosun took careful not of the spot and surrounding area and nodded. Then Hitomi led them towards the first white building.

Inside the department store were clothes of all kinds imaginable. Jeans, khakis, kimonos, and school uniforms hung neatly on hangers. Posters and signs in Japanese were hung randomly around the store and the whole area was lit with the same harsh white glow as the subway station. Overwhelmed, Van and Kiosun could only stare, speechless. Hitomi seemed to expect this, and quietly ushered them to a desk at the right side of the store. This side seemed to contain men's clothing, and the young man behind the desk cast a critical eye over both of them. Assessing their injuries, he straightened and looked worried.

"What happened to you?" he asked.

Hitomi answered for them. "They just arrived from America. Their house burned down there, and they came here to stay with me for a time. They have never been here before, so I took them shopping to find clothes to replace the ones they lost."

The young man was skeptical, but the house fire would explain the burns and lack of clothes. "What about the scars? And the ripped clothing?"

This time Kiosun answered. "We're both professional fencers. The clothing ripped when we jumped out of the house."

The young man nodded and bowed slightly. "My name is Aiyuri."

"Van Fanel."

"Kiosun."

"Pleased to meet you. How is it that you speak Japanese so well? You don't even have an accent." Aiyuri asked, intrigued.

"Well, we grew up in a Japanese family. Japanese is our first language, though we never actually lived here." Kiosun replied with a charming smile.

"I see." Aiyuri chuckled and glanced at Hitomi as she returned from browsing the clothing. "Hitomi, are these the visitors you were talking about in school?"

"Yes."

Aiyuri looked at the pair carefully and then back at Hitomi. "So you want me to find them a complete wardrobe? School clothes too?"

"Yes—" she began.

"No." Van and Kiosun spoke at once. Quickly their eyes flicked towards each other and then away. Van gestured to Kiosun, who continued speaking. "We already finished high school."

Aiyuri raised an eyebrow. "How old are you?"

"I'm nineteen. Van is…umm…" Kiosun hesitated. Seventeen was not old enough to be out of high school…

"Also nineteen." Van inserted.

Aiyuri shook his head in disbelief. "You don't look it, Van. Oh well, let's see what I can find for you to wear. Two formal kimonos, enough regular clothes for a couple weeks…How long are you staying?"

"We're not really sure yet…" Kiosun hesitated and looked forlorn. Van slipped his hand into Ki's and squeezed gently, offering support. Hitomi missed the gesture, but Aiyuri saw and made note of it.

"Very well. Let's just get your measurements, and you can decide on a few clothes. Then you can try them on and model for each other." Aiyuri took them into a small fitting room and gestured for them to remove their shirts. Van hesitated for only a moment before shrugging philosophically and removing his shirt. Ki followed suit.

Aiyuri let out his breath in a soft hiss. Of the two, Van had more scars, but Kiosun had a fair number as well. Aiyuri spoke softly, accusingly. "One does not get scars like that from mere fencing. All fencing blades are dull…at least the professional ones. Unless you both are awful fencers—and I truly doubt that—it would be difficult to have so many scars."

Van shook his head and Kiosun refused to take his eyes off the carpet. When it seemed that neither one would speak, Aiyuri shrugged. "Fine. It's none of my business really. I just thought I might be able to help…"

"We don't exactly fence. We fight with swords, much like your samurai. Kiosun's been doing it for longer, but I had a better teacher." Van was reluctant to say more, but Aiyuri pressed on, knowing that Van would answer him anyway.

"If you had a better teacher, why did he give you so many scars?"

Van shuddered. "I don't know…"

"Hitomi doesn't know, does she?"

"No."

"And she doesn't know that you two are lovers?"

Kiosun jerked and retreated a step, folding Van in his arms. "How did you know?"

Aiyuri narrowed his eyes. "I didn't, until you said that. It was a hunch. Two men, living in the same house, both sword fighters, both so aware of each other. You were either lovers or brothers, and when Van comforted you earlier, I guessed at lovers. You don't really look related…the hair, the eyes, and the skin, yes, but the facial structure is different."

"You are very observant." Ki was torn between being angry and rueful. Deciding on rueful, he released Van and nodded at Aiyuri. "I respect that."

Aiyuri took out a measuring tape and began to measure them both, smiling secretly. "Thank you. Hitomi is not going to be happy when she finds out…I do not envy her. She's very oblivious, you know. Her best friend is in love with her crush, her mother and father…" Aiyuri winced. "I shouldn't have said that…"

"We already know." Van obligingly lifted his arms at Aiyuri's direction. "Mihira told us when she guessed about our relationship. It was my fault then too…"

Kiosun shook his head. "It wasn't your fault. Just bad timing. Usually it's me who ends up hugging you at night!"

All three young men laughed and walked out of the dressing room. Aiyuri gave them a flash-tour of the store and helped them pick out ten outfits and a formal kimono each. Hitomi was browsing in the ladies section and didn't return until all three were back at the counter. Aiyuri rang up their purchases and accepted the money from Hitomi. When he gave her back the change she frowned and shook her head.

"This isn't the right amount of change…I owe you a lot more than that."

Aiyuri winked. "I know. Consider the kimonos my gift. After all, I do have a job, so I can afford it." Hitomi gave them each two bags to carry and walked towards the exit as Van and Ki expressed their thanks to Aiyuri.

"Oh, before you go…" Aiyuri rummaged around in the drawer under the counter for a pen and paper. On it, he wrote his name, phone number, and address and handed it to Kiosun. "If either of you need a place to stay after _she_," he jerked his head at Hitomi who was waiting patiently by the door, "finds out, you're always welcome at my house. I think she's pretty neutral about that sort of thing, but I also think she's got her sights set on Van here." He winked and shooed them in the direction of the door. "Have a fun rest of the night! And don't get into too much trouble!"

Van and Kiosun grinned as they followed Hitomi from the store.

__

I liked him!

Van's mindvoice was cheerful and bright. Kiosun pouted and mock-sniffed.

**__**

I think I'm jealous…

__

Not like that! You'll always be the only one for me, Ki!

Ki grinned.

**__**

I know.

Hitomi looked at them crossly. "Are you even listening to a word I say? I just asked if you wanted to get a bite to eat."

Both laughing too hard to reply, Van and Kiosun gestured ineffectively. Finally they controlled their expressions and shook their heads. "No, we already ate today."

"You've been shopping for hours! Aren't you even slightly hungry?"

"Not really." Something caught Kiosun's eye and he turned towards it. In the distance, a tower rose majestically, every detail outlined in lights. "What is that?"

"Tokyo Tower. It is a duplicate of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. It's a classic place for tourists, school field trips, and romantic couples to go."

Van stared, awed, then replied without thinking. "Do you think we could go there?" he asked, looking straight at Hitomi. She blushed furiously and nodded, hurriedly turning away.

__

Stupid idiot…never, ever reply without thinking! Why does that silly girl have to take everything in the wrong light?

**__**

Van, you're leaking again. Calm down, love. Soon you won't have to worry about her. We still have plenty of time left before sunrise. You and I can grab a quick bite to eat after we find a way to distract her for a few minutes.

__

How do we distract her?

**__**

I think our problem is going to solve itself. Isn't that Amano walking towards us?

"Hitomi! I talked to your mother and she said you were shopping for clothes with Van and Kiosun in Ginza. I thought you might need an escort, but your mother just wouldn't stop laughing when I suggested it."

"I'm fine. Aiyuri just found them some clothes and I was going to take them to Tokyo Tower. Would you like to join us?"

"Of course! Would you like to get something to eat first?" Amano asked. Hitomi nodded.

"Van and I aren't hungry right now, but we wouldn't mind talking to Aiyuri for a while. Would you both like to eat while we wait here for you?" Kiosun suggested.

Hitomi looked surprised. "That would be fine. Amano?"

Amano nodded. "Fine with me. Come on, Hitomi; let's go. See you later!" He waved at the pair of grinning vampires and slipped an arm around Hitomi's waist. Together they walked off into the night, leaving Van and Kiosun surprised and pleased at the turn of events.

They went in and told Aiyuri about the subterfuge, explaining that they needed some time alone, away from Hitomi. Aiyuri was all in favor of it, and promised to cover for them in Hitomi and Amano returned before Ki and Van. The pair left their packages with Aiyuri and left the store.

Finding prey was far easier than they could have hoped. Searching the alleys throughout Ginza, they found a pair of young man just a few blocks away. Leaning against a wall, the first reeked of drugs and alcohol. Judging him to be poisoned, Van and Kiosun turned their attention to the second.

He smelled fine; though there was a drug scent on him, it was obvious he wasn't using them. He glanced around the alley every few seconds, watching for danger. When he decided he was alone, he turned his full attention to the drugged man in front of him.

"I have the drugs with me. Where is the money?"

"Here…" The drugged man gave him a huge handful of cash. The second man handed him a plastic bag filled with a white powder. The first man mumbled something and stumbled away, not noticing the vampires he passed. The second man remained behind and leaned against the wall, hands shoved in pockets and eyes studying the stars.

"You're still in training, Van," Ki whispered. "This prey is yours."

Van didn't bother to reply, but walked nonchalantly up to the drug dealer. Without a sound, he placed his fingers on the other man's chin and drew his face down. The man's eyes looked at Van, at first with puzzlement, then surprise, anger, fear…and then, nothing. He stood, eyes blank, and waited for his new master to give him instructions.

__

I'm finished.

**__**

Record time, too. Good job, Van.

__

Do we feed deeply tonight?

**__**

Yes. He does not deserve to live, and if we can improve this world while we stay, why not?

__

Why not indeed?

They drank everything the drug dealer had to offer. The last drops of his lifeblood tasted sweet, and their burns slowly disappeared.

"At this rate, our wings should be healed within the week." Kiosun noted absently, licking a drop of blood from the corner of his mouth. Van agreed and searched the man. Finding two more packets of white powder and several wads of cash, he grinned. The drugs were dropped in the nearest sewer, but the money he kept.

"With this, we should be able to pay Mihira back for the clothes."

Kiosun frowned at the cash. "I think we could pay her for the clothes several times over with that."

Van shrugged. "We should be getting back now. We wouldn't want to worry our hostess and her friend, would we?"

As it was a question that he obviously didn't expect an answer to, Kiosun followed without comment.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Back so soon?" Aiyuri grinned wickedly. "You look pleased."

Van closed his eyes and smiled slowly. "I am." 

Kiosun snorted and smiled indulgently. "We went to this really nice private restaurant together. We had a really nice meal, and the food has gone a long way towards restoring us."

"I _see_…" Aiyuri winked at them and leaned against the counter. "Just how private _was_ this restaurant, hmm?"

**__**

Since he's being so nosy, he deserves what he gets…

Kiosun sent his telepathic senses out from the building and checked for anyone who might walk into the building. Sensing no one, he grinned at Aiyuri.

"Private enough to do _this_…" He swept Van into his arms and kissed him heartily, chuckling against Van's mouth when his lover made a startled "mrp."

Aiyuri blushed and averted his eyes. "I deserved that…" he muttered, half to himself and half in apology to the blushing Van and smirking Kiosun.

Kiosun glanced at the door. "Heads up," he said softly, "but I think our hostess and her friend are here."

"I don't see anyone," Aiyuri said in confusion.

"Just wait," Van said. "I sense them too."

As he finished speaking, Hitomi and Amano walked in. Hitomi was flushed and somewhat shy, but Amano didn't seem to notice. He glanced around the store and spotted them, then walked over nonchalantly. Hitomi followed silently, recovering her composure.

"I'm not the only one she's fallen for," Van murmered. "It won't be too bad for her, then."

"You're forgetting something. Hitomi's best friend is in love with him too, though she hasn't realized it yet." Aiyuri watched the pair walking towards them with half-lidded eyes. "I really don't envy her."

Van and Kiosun nodded agreement as the pair came within hearing distance. Hitomi looked up and them and smiled tentatively. "Did you have a nice talk?"

"Yup. And how was your dinner?" Aiyuri picked up a pen and began drawing on the nearest piece of paper as he spoke.

"Fine." Hitomi looked at Van and Ki. "Are you ready to head to Tokyo Tower?"

Ki nodded and the four of them trailed out of the store after bidding farewell to Aiyuri for the third time.

The trip to the Rippongi district was uneventful and short. Before long, they stood at the top of Tokyo Tower admiring the view.

"Tokyo is huge!" Van breathed, stunned. "It's even larger than Fanalia! And Fanalia is a whole kingdom!"

"I must admit, I am impressed." Kiosun gazed around the bright city with raised eyebrows. Beside them, Amano and Hitomi were pointing out the buildings that they recognized.

"My house is in that direction, but I don't think we can see it from here…there's the school, right there!" Hitomi gestured at the places she spoke about. Amano was grinning.

"Too bad Yuki's not here too. She'd love this little outing!" Amano said, leaning on the railing.

"Is Yuki the girl we met on the first night?" Van asked, curiously.

"Yes. Yuki is my best friend." Hitomi answered.

__

That must be the best friend that Aiyuri said was in love with Amano.

**__**

Yeah. Hitomi is so oblivious! She has all the information, but she doesn't realize a thing, even when she spends a lot of time with the people involved. She doesn't realize her best friend's crush, or our relationship, or the fact that we're vampires. She doesn't even realize that we're telepathic, even after we took all that information from her mind. And she still doesn't realize her mother's preferences, though Aiyuri guessed.

Before Van could reply, a redheaded girl ran up to them, barely panting.

"Amano! Hitomi! I went to your house and your mom said you two went with the strangers to the department stores, and when I got there, Aiyuri told me that you had all gone to Tokyo Tower!" Yuki stood with one hand on her hip, gaze accusatory. "Why didn't you invite me?"

Van saw the beginnings of an argument and the diplomatic prince inside of him stepped forward. "It was not intentional, Yuki. We just went to get some new clothes and met up with Amano outside the store. It was an accident, and not a deliberate slight."

Yuki turned towards him, eyes blazing. Seconds later, the anger melted away and was replaced by confusion. "When did you learn to speak Japanese?"

Amano and Hitomi frowned, both realizing what they had missed. Van bit his lip and waited for help from Kiosun. Kiosun shrugged.

"Well…" Van hesitated. "It's a talent from our world. Rapid learning…"

There was a long, disbelieving pause. No one said a word.

Finally, Kiosun broke the silence. "It will be dawn soon. We better get back to the house."

"There's no school tomorrow. Maybe we could give you a tour of Tokyo then?" Yuki asked with a sidelong glance at Amano. All three of the men caught the look, but Hitomi was watching the cars on the street below.

**__**

Oblivious.

__

Yeah.

"How about tomorrow night instead?" Kiosun suggested smoothly.

Yuki shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me. Tomorrow night is fine."

Amano was blushing as he looked at Yuki. Van and Kiosun grinned, knowing that the pair would soon be a couple. Hitomi looked confused, but there was a dawning understanding in her eyes as she watched both of her best friends blush and glance away from each other.

Kiosun watched the unfolding drama and nearly groaned.

**__**

It's going to take them forever to figure everything out. I think it's time to shed light on this little love triangle.

Before Van could ask a single question, Kiosun grinned at Amano and Yuki. "Are you two dating yet?"

Van groaned and shook his head. No tact, no diplomacy…

Yuki was now a brilliant scarlet, despite her dark coloring. "No, I…Hitomi…and Amano…"

"Hitomi has a crush on Amano, and because you're her best friend you didn't want to butt in? But you've had a crush on him for sometime, and Hitomi never noticed. I'm not sure whom Amano likes…perhaps you ought to ask him." Kiosun carefully diverted the two girl's attention from him to the object of their affection, knowing that in their slightly stunned state, they wouldn't lash out at him.

Hitomi looked stunned. "Yuki…you always liked him? And you never told me?"

Yuki looked at the ground. "Kiosun was right. I knew you liked him, so I didn't say anything."

Amano looked nonplussed. "You both like me?"

The two girls glared at him and he sweatdropped. Hitomi looked at Yuki. "You can have him."

"Really?" Yuki looked unsure. "But you've liked him for years…"

"So have you. I'll get over it."

__

She shows a great deal of maturity for her age.

**__**

No. She's just after you now.

__

Shit…I forgot about that…

**__**

She won't be for long, though. Heh heh heh…

__

Just what are you planning? I really don't think it's a good idea to alienate her.

**__**

Don't worry, Van! I have everything under control.

__

Tell me you won't do anything. You can't lie mind to mind.

**__**

I…can't do that.

Van shook his head, slightly angry at his lover's attitude. Hitomi and Yuki were hugging and Amano seemed totally at a loss. In a matter of seconds, Yuki was hanging onto Amano's arm and Hitomi was smiling, happy for her best friend. "You make a good couple," she noted, pleased.

Kiosun was grinning like a cat with cream. By being so blunt, he had somehow managed to settle everything between the three earth children. Without any finesse, tact, diplomacy, or social skills, he'd worked everything out neatly. And for some reason, this made Van incredibly annoyed. Realizing that this could possibly be radiating through their link, he surrounded himself with a shield, cutting off the mind signatures around him.

__

Peace…why does it seem so empty?


	10. Chapter 10

Kiosun staggered when his contact with Van was broken. Van wasn't looking at him, but he'd surrounded himself with a shield, allowing none of his thoughts to leak out.

**__**

This is the second time he's done that…ever since I showed him how. In this world, that could be dangerous. He probably has a reason though. The first time was because of his first lover…but now? Was it something I did? Do I force the issue or let him have some space?

They were in a stable position right now. They had shelter, brand new clothing, and an endless supply of food. Really, Van's mental state was more important than the possible dangers of this world.

**__**

I'll give him his space. If he's still like this tomorrow, I'll see what's wrong.

All of a sudden, a bright flash caught his attention. About half a mile away, a blue pillar of light—identical to the one they had arrived in—stretched from the sky to the ground. Inside of it, both sharp-eyed vampires could see a large figure slowly descend until he was hidden behind a building.

"Balgus…" Van's anguished whisper broke the silence and Kiosun's eyes widened.

"Van, don't do anything—" Kiosun began, reaching for Van. The younger vampire had already removed his tattered shirt and spread his wings. Before Kiosun could grab his arm, Van leapt from the tower.

"Your wings…" Kiosun hissed. "You fool, they're not healed!"

Van's wings caught the air for a few seconds, held him aloft just long enough for Kiosun to begin to hope…

But most of his feathers had been burned to dust, and the feathers that were left were not strong enough to hold him. Kiosun could hear a faint gasp of terror as Van began to fall. His wings scooped the air frantically, trying to slow his descent, but it was not nearly enough and he was still falling so quickly…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A figure on the streets below looked up and saw the youth falling. The figure's eyes grew wide and anguished. He looked around, but the street was deserted. Spreading _his_ wings, he jumped into the air, white feathers beating powerfully against the wind. He shot towards the falling vampire and stretched out his arms, matching Van's velocity long enough to hold him securely to his body. Then his wings spread again, slowing their descent. Gently the pair floated down. The strange figure's first foot touched the ground, then the second; Van safely cradled in his arms.

"Are you alright?" The young man asked, concerned.

Van stared at him. "You…" he whispered, stunned.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kiosun's heart stopped when he saw the figure with the white wings. "A Draconian on the Mystic Moon?"

Without a word to the other three at the top of the tower, Kiosun raced for the stairs, practically knocking another couple to the ground. Hitomi, Amano, and Yuki followed him, but their speed was no match for his. Flight after flight of stairs he took in large leaps, writing the elevator off as too slow. At the bottom of the tower, he raced for the alley, sliding to a stop at the mouth. Van lay on the ground and the stranger knelt next to him, one hand on Van's chest.

Kiosun was at a loss for words. He tried to make his mouth work, but it wouldn't. The three earth children arrived moments later, sliding behind him on the loose gravel. Their reactions to the stranger were more vocal but no less surprised.

"Oh my goddess!"

"You!"

"It can't be…"

The stranger shrugged and grinned. "Surprise?"

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kiosun's thoughts were confused and angry. He'd been unable to save Van…his reaction had been too slow. His wings were in worse condition than Van's too, and had he jumped, he wouldn't have even been able to slow his fall, much less Van's. But his own cowardice and hesitation infuriated him.

What was worse was who had saved Van.

**__**

Aiyuri. Department store worker, high school student, and Draconian. Who would have thought?

It hurt Kiosun that this young man from a different planet had saved his lover. Van was _his_ and no one else could have him! Kiosun felt guilty too…both for not saving Van, but also for being angry with Aiyuri, the one who had.

Van still had his shield up…had not dropped it even when he'd been falling. Van had not said a word to Kiosun yet, though Kiosun suspected that that was more from shock than anything else. Aiyuri had assessed Van's injuries, warned him not to fly for some time, and then deposited him into Kiosun's arms.

Aiyuri was now fielding questions from his schoolmates while Kiosun looked after Van.

"Van? Van, are you all right? Please, say something! I'm sorry I couldn't save you, I'm so sorry…" Kiosun whispered gently.

Van avoided looking at Kiosun. "It's not your fault. I'm fine."

"Are you hungry? The time for deception is over. These humans, these mortals…We can tell them that we're vampires. Your health is more important."

"Actually…I'm ravenous." Van admitted shamefacedly. "All the adrenaline…I have no energy."

"Not only that, you're still healing. Here." Kiosun lifted his wrist to his mouth and tore open a vein. Then he lowered it, dripping blood, to rest on Van's lips.

"Kiosun, you need it too…" Van said, worried. "I can't accept that from you."

Aiyuri, who had been standing nearby, walked closer. "Vampires? Doesn't surprise me." As he spoke, he pulled a slender dagger out of nowhere and slit one of his wrists. He then did the same with the other, and held each wrist out to the vampires.

Kiosun sensed that his arguments would make no difference, and let Van slide to the ground. Both vampires thanked Aiyuri and knelt over his wrists, cleanly licking the blood from around the wound before drinking from it directly.

The first taste was pure bliss. There was life, centuries of life, in this young man's veins. His blood was pure and rich, and had far more allure than human blood ever could. Kiosun could barely bring himself to stop, and he knew that Van would not be able to.

Carefully he pulled back, making sure to heal the wound first. Van was clearly struggling for control and Aiyuri was watching him with a blush as he surreptitiously adjusted his pants. "Must be young," he muttered to Kiosun. Kiosun nodded and gently placed his hand on Van's shoulder.

"Van, come back to me. Van, you need to stop now…that's enough." Kiosun tightened his grip until Van cried out in pain and drew away from the wound. It still leaked blood sluggishly.

"Aiyuri…do you want me to fix that?" Kiosun asked, eyes still on Van. 

Aiyuri shrugged. "No need." So saying, he pulled a length of bandage out of the air and wrapped his wrist securely. Kiosun decided to puzzle the magic tricks out later and knelt next to Van.

"You alright?"

"Yeah…what was that?" Van asked, dazed.

"Immortal blood. Draconians are immortal." Kiosun replied.

"Actually, so are vampires." Aiyuri broke in, tucking the end of the bandage under several other loops.

Kiosun frowned. "No they're not. Almost all the vampires that I know age, and die, eventually."

"Not as many as you think. When Lucard Rimidalv spawned his children, their children had the virus too. But for every generation of Draconians, the virus grew weaker. Therefore, the vampires spawned from the first generation are immortal. Never aging, never getting older. All vampires born from second or third generations age slowly."

"So…vampires like Dalva aren't as old as they want to make us believe?" Kiosun asked, frowning.

"Dalva?" Aiyuri raised one auburn brow.

Kiosun looked down at Van, concerned that the dark haired young man was still sitting on the ground. "Dalva is lord of one of the vampire kisses. He's arrogant and delusional, and he is obsessed with vampiric security. He claims to be thousands of years old, and no one else knows if he's lying or not."

"Lucard Rimidalv lived about two centuries ago, before he was exiled from Atlantic to live with the vampires he'd created. There aren't any vampires older than that. How old are you, Kiosun?" Aiyuri asked curiously.

"Sixty seven. Van is almost eighteen."

"Yet both of you look just like you were when you turned seventeen. Kiosun, I think…you probably appeared about nineteen when you became kyuuketsuki, didn't you?"

"Yes." Kiosun clenched his hand into a fist. "I couldn't understand why Angelique and Laike aged more than I did. Angelique was seventeen, but now she looks twenty-three! Laike looked so young…fifteen maybe, but now he looks seventeen. And I stayed the same."

"Your mother must have been an undiscovered carrier. It was hard for us to trace the bloodlines, and we made a lot of mistakes. Draconians like to dally with humans… We live so long; it's foolish to dally with our own kind. Bad feelings could fester and grow worse, and to have hate in our hearts for a person we come into daily contact with would be horrible. So we leave our safe homes and spend time with short-lived humans. If any children result…" Aiyuri shrugged. "It's considered our gift to the humans. Normally, Draconian and human blood produces a very, very short-lived Draconian. No point in keeping the child…they're abandoned, left with the fathers. As you were, Kiosun."

Kiosun stared hard at the young man in front of him. His features were delicate with an underlying strength, much like Van's. His hair was shoulder length and reddish gold in color. He was not tall and probably only came up to Kiosun's nose or Van's eyes. His wings were pure white and swept the ground gracefully. 

Van stood up slowly, resting one hand on the brick wall. "Aiyuri…why are you here? How do you still know so much about vampires? And have you both completely forgotten Hitomi, Amano, and Yuki?"

Kiosun started guiltily. He _had_ forgotten them. They had remained at the mouth of the alley, silent and observant. Amano had a protective expression on his face and had one arm wrapped around Yuki. She was looking on with an expression of wonder and fear. Hitomi just looked angry and confused. Aiyrui winced and ducked his head slightly, wispy hair falling into his eyes. "I suppose we should explain…" he said softly. Hitomi muttered something under her breath and nodded.

Kiosun grinned. "Allow me!" he said to Aiyuri. Aiyuri nodded and Van seemed hesitant, so Kiosun forged on ahead. "Van and I are both vampires from Gaea. Aiyuri is a Draconian, also from Gaea. We don't know why we're here, but Van freaked out when we saw his mentor and enemy, Balgus, descend in a similar pillar of light, and jumped off the Tokyo Tower to fly over there, forgetting that we'd been seriously burned when Hitomi's mother opened her window. Vampires are children of Draconians, so to speak, or at least children of Lucard Rimidalv, and so in an odd way we're related to Aiyuri." Kiosun paused a moment. "Now that I think about it, so are Van and I."

"Second cousins once removed," Aiyuri muttered. 

Kiosun raised an eyebrow and Aiyuri shrugged innocently. "Just how do you know so much?" Kiosun asked accusatorily.

"It's a secret," Aiyuri replied disarmingly.

Kiosun snarled at him. "A secret? I don't want to hear that 'It's a secret!' crap, you are going to tell me what you know right now!" He started walking forward, fists clenched tightly. 

Van threw himself in front of Aiyuri. "Kiosun, are you mad?" he hissed. "Aiyuri is only trying to help!"

Kiosun recoiled, hurt and stunned. Why should Van defend Aiyuri? That _Draconian_ didn't deserve his protection! Why? A little voice whispered in his mind, creating echoes.

__

I like him!

It was Van's cheerful voice of earlier that day. Kiosun became angry. So Van cared more about this white-winged stranger than about Kiosun? His anger swept him up and tinged his vision red. His tattered black wings unfurled and mantled as he bared his fangs and snarled at Van. Fury radiated off of him as he shifted into a fighting stance and faced Van. The younger vampire looked surprised, then increasingly angry. The atmosphere in the small alley was too much for the humans and they back away slowly, leaving the three from Gaea in a maelstrom of anger.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Van watched Kiosun's face twist and felt his shields straining. A small crack in them allowed part of Kiosun's anger in and the crack burst into a floodgate, abruptly shattering Van's protections.

__

So, he's angry with me, hmm? Well good! I'm angry with him too! He's so reckless, and he lets these humans know far too much about us! We don't need to tell them anything, but he's talking about all our secrets!

Van answered Kiosun's challenge with his own, and mirrored Kiosun's stance. The fury battered at both their minds, tearing and ripping at memories and thoughts. Aiyuri stepped between them and spoke, but neither could hear him. His intervention only worsened the tension, and both vampires hissed at him. In near mirror image, Van and Kiosun snapped out their left arms and spoke a word. Twin black balls of power shot from their outstretched fingers and crashed into each other above Aiyuri's head. A small explosion knocked him to his knees and startled both vampires out of their rage.

Van's mindvoice sounded small and weak when he finally got up the courage to speak.

__

I didn't know vampires could do that…

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Aiyuri threw himself between the vampires and tried to reason with them, but they seemed not to hear him. They hissed at him and threw out their arms, sending a black ball of not-light at him. The following explosion threw him at the ground and caused him to black out for a second, but when he came to, the tension was gone. Both vampires looked shocked.

Aiyuri stood up slowly, surveying the damage. The brick walls on either side of the alley were badly cracked and burned, but the explosion seemed to have radiated out to either side, not up and down. His hair was singed, but otherwise he was fine. The humans had been too far away, and the vampires were virtually unharmed.

Kiosun stared at Van. "Neither did I," he whispered, as if responding to something that only he could hear.

Aiyuri spoke slowly, watching them and ready to duck if the anger returned. "Van? Kiosun? What happened?"

"So angry…I was so angry…" Van muttered. Kiosun agreed, adding, "It was a killing rage. I would have killed him."

Aiyuri nodded. "The world is reacting to you. I felt the same way, years and years ago, when I first came here. The earth is whispering in your head hateful things because you are unnatural to her."

Kiosun looked at him carefully. "Aiyuri, I suggest you tell us everything you know about this world and ours, as well as how you came to be here." His tone made it clear that it was not really a suggestion. Aiyuri shrugged at the inevitable and began his explanation.

"Two decades ago, I was trapped in a pillar of blue light and brought here. I was in a place called France, far to the west of here. At the time, it was fraught with danger, and the family that found me brought me here, to Tokyo. As soon as I stepped inside the city, I began to grow angry at the slightest provocation. One night, in a fit of rage, I murdered the family that had taken care of me."

Hitomi gasped and her hands flew to her mouth. Sometime during his explanation, the trio had returned to the alley and stood behind Kiosun, listening carefully. Aiyuri looked at her briefly then returned his attention to the vampires.

"I loved them, because of what they had done for me, but I began to hate them. The little things they did began to annoy me, and I grew jealous of everything they had. On that night, I walked in the common room and found their daughter curled up on the floor with another man. I was furious—how dare she choose him over me? I had patiently courted her for weeks! Blackness took me over and I took my knife and slashed his throat. She began to scream, and I killed her too. The rest of the family came in, and they too died beneath my hands…all save the last daughter, the youngest, who was four years old."

"Why?" Van asked. "Why save her?"

"Because she forgave me."

"What?" Kiosun asked, bewildered.

"She watched me kill her family in silence. She did not cry, or scream, or run from me. When I turned to her, she looked at me with those pure, innocent eyes. I paused, and as she watched the last of her mother's blood cover the floor, she held out her arms to me. She walked up to me and put her arms around my waist and watched me with her clear eyes…and told me it would all be better, later." Aiyuri had tears leaking from his eyes as he told, for the first time, the sorrowful tale.

"The police never asked too many questions, and never found the murderer. I raised the young girl by myself for ten years, when her grandmother came from France and took custody. I still visited her as often as I could without her grandmother discovering, and she grew into a beautiful and compassionate young woman. She left for America for college, and when she returned, she had changed."

Van's eyes widened. "Mihira!" he gasped, glancing at Hitomi. "It was Mihira!"

Hitomi staggered and caught herself by throwing a hand at the wall. "My mother?"

"Yes. Your mother saved my life…when I would have gone mad and killed myself for the grief of what I had done, she held me and cried with me and promised that things would be better. And when she returned from America, I did the same for her."

"What happened in America?" Hitomi asked in a whisper.

"That is not my tale to tell. It was where she met your father." Aiyuri looked at Hitomi with a sad look on his face. "She would only tell some of what happened, but I think that both Van and Kiosun know the whole story." The pair in question nodded and averted their eyes, making it clear that they wouldn't divulge her secrets. Aiyuri expected this and gave them points for loyalty.

"Mihira's grandmother traveled to Fanalia, and she knew something of what I was. She told stories to Mihira, and when Hitomi was born, she told those stories to her as well. Hitomi has always believed that Mihira's grandmother was really her mother, because Mihira saved her from the story of her real grandmother's slaughter. It's a long, complicated, and distressing story to tell, and I have no wish to repeat it all, but I believe that I can clear up a mystery for Hitomi. Hitomi, may I see your pendant please?"

Hitomi drew the pendant over her neck, stunned at his recital of family history she was unaware of. Aiyuri took the pendant from her and held it at face level. From another pocket of nowhere, he pulled a second pendant, nearly identical to the first. The setting was of a stylized silver wave crest and the red jewel was nestled in the middle of the wave. Hitomi's pendant had a simple gold setting. When Aiyuri held the pair of pendants up, they began to glow faintly with a soft red light. Softly he began to chant in the language of Gaea, incomprehensible to all but Van and Kiosun.

Hitomi gasped as suddenly all of them were ensconced in a blue light. Amano and Yuki watched as a surprised quartet suddenly vanished.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Van looked around him, recognizing Gaea in the trees and grass beneath his feet. He, Kiosun, Hitomi, and Aiyuri were all floating about a hundred yards in the air above the land in front of Fanalia.

"We're home!" he said in surprise.

Aiyuri shook his head regretfully. "It won't last. We are simply shadows right now, unable to affect much in this world. The pendants allow Draconians to have their wishes granted, if their wills are strong enough, but mine seems to have been found lacking. The most I can do is drift around Gaea, listening to conversations and watching events."

"I think the powers that be have taken a personal interest in all of us," Kiosun muttered, disgruntled. "It's not a question of will."

"That, too, is a possibility. Van, there are some things I can do in this world. What do you want more than anything to make your stay in Tokyo more comfortable?"

"My sword," Van answered promptly, without hesitation. Aiyuri nodded, as if it had been as he expected.

"Concentrate on your sword…call it into your mind, perfect and whole, every detail precise. Imagine you can feel it in your hand…call it to you…." Aiyuri's voice took on a slight cadence, soothing and calm. Van closed his eyes and focused, following Aiyuri's instructions. There was a small _pop_ and he felt a weight settle in his hands. Amazed, he gazed at his sword and its sheath.

Aiyuri smiled slightly and glanced at Kiosun. "Care to try?" he challenged the vampire. Kiosun shrugged, closed his eyes and called his own sword. Just seconds longer than Van had taken his sword too rested in his hands.

Unnoticed by the rest of the party, Van had used their distraction to try the calling technique once more. Fixing his mind on the dagger that he had bought for Kiosun, he called it to him. The black owl's head, strong metal alloy blade…With a much softer _pop_, it appeared in front of him, hovering. Quickly he tucked it in the pocket of his new pants and called his dagger, the dragon dagger. This he hooked on his belt with his sword. By the time he'd finished calling his weapons, Kiosun had called his sword and was questioning Aiyuri about what they were to do next.

"That, I have an answer to." With an airy wave of his hand, all four of them were shooting through the sky too quickly to see their surroundings. When the world stopped moving, they could only stare.

"Is this…" Van began but trailed off, unable to finish the incredible thought.

"Neo-Atlantis. Home of the Draconians. This is the place beyond the portal in the sacred valley." Aiyuri looked proudly at his home.

Draconians flew here and there, beautiful beings of light and laughter. Every Draconian they saw had a red pendant around their neck, styles and settings varying, but all with identical stones. Aiyuri smiled and waved at a few, who gazed at him with pity and sadness.

"They can see me…I don't know why. But they know what happened to me, and they try to keep me updated on news from this world." He signed something to one of the flying girls, and she nodded, flitting into a nearby building. When she returned, two other young women accompanied her. One was Van's mother, but the other…

"Kiosun?" she gasped. "Kiosun! What happened?"

Kiosun stopped, blood draining from his face. "Mother?"

Van nearly echoed him as he stared at the woman he thought lost forever. Kiosun wasn't moving, uncertain of his reception. But the woman in front of him smiled with tears in her eyes and flew towards him, arms open. "Kiosun, darling!" He opened his arms in response, but she flew straight through him. Aiyuri looked pained.

"We are but shadows in this land, remember? You can talk, but not for long."

Meanwhile, Van was having similar problems. His phantom fingers brushed at his mother's tears, but the salty moisture passed through his hand. Varia shook her head sadly. "So you are in the other world with Aiyuri now, hmm? I wish we did not have to meet like this. You are like your brother now?" She nearly sobbed, painful crystalline tears brushed angrily away with one hand. "I thought it might be different, I thought I could be the exception. But my mother lay with that _demon_! Now you are cursed. I'm so sorry, Van. I wish this had not happened. Perhaps it would have been easier if I had refused to bear children… I thought I was different. At seventeen, I watched your brother _so_ closely! I fed him vegetables, fruits, and bread. I never let him eat meat or drink wine. Then he left on his Dragonslaying right, and I knew he would never return. The signs had been there…I just chose to ignore them. How is he?"

"Married to another vampire named Angelique and living peacefully in the countryside." Van answered shortly. "I'm not cursed, mother. I feel so much more _free_!" He spread his arms and closed his eyes. "Free from burden, responsibility, power, and Balgus."

Her eyes hardened until they became flint slivers. "Balgus…" she hissed coldly. "He hated me. He didn't trust me, ever! He tried to keep me from your father. But he failed. And because he failed, you and Folken were born. Perhaps he should have succeeded. We could have been happy, your father and I. After you were born, I was never happier. But when Folken left, I knew my wonderful life had to end. So I left, abandoned you, to return to my family here. How can you be happy? You feed off other people, seduce them, and drink their blood! How can you be pleased with that existence?" Varia shrieked at the top of her lungs, anguished and furious.

Van tried to soothe her. "I don't think of it as evil, mother. The prey is more than happy to feed us. I love the way I live now. Before I was sent to earth, I was living in a mansion with a farm set in the forest. I was with the one I loved, and I knew my brother was happy. I did not want to rule Fanalia, nor did Folken. Cousin Kuwaro will rule, though Balgus was furious when he found out and tried to have us killed. Other than one or two loose ends, I was happier then than I ever had been before."

She shook her head slowly, as if she could not believe it. He looked at her straight in the eye. "Mother, I loved you, and I still do. But if you cannot accept the way I live, when it was your fault to begin with, I have no wish to see you ever again."

Sadness filled her eyes as she began to make a reply. Before she could finish, Aiyuri threw up a hand, silencing both Van and Kiosun's conversations. Hitomi glanced up, having politely ignored the exchanges thus far.

"Varia, Kyoei, our time grows short. You must give them their birthright!" Aiyuri spoke sharply as he watched the blue glow around them pulsing and flickering. Both women reached into their dresses and pulled out two pendants.

"My son, Van Fanel, I present you with your birthright pendant, forged in the stars and brought to earth by the gods. Your wishes guide its actions. Use it well." Van's mother intoned the words gracefully, and it was clear that this was a long honored tradition. The pendants in her hands were glowing red, and she held one out to Van. As he reached to take it, the glow brightened and her hand became misty, like his. For one brief instant, they touched. Then the pendant was looped around his fingers and her hand was back at her side. On his right, Kiosun and Kyoei followed the same ritual. The blue light fluctuated wildly and the four shadows flickered in and out. Kiosun whispered a goodbye to his mother and she sobbed as he disappeared.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Amano and Yuki were stunned when the quartet suddenly reappeared. For one thing, both Kiosun and Van had these seriously Big Swords around their waists. For another, both looked upset and were holding red pendants like Hitomi's. Hitomi looked thoughtful and pale, and Aiyuri looked regretful.

"What happened?" Amano asked. Yuki appeared uncertain, knowing that her cheerful attitude wouldn't be received well right now.

Aiyuri took the lead. "I transported us, for a few brief minutes, to Gaea. They picked up a few things and got a present from their mothers."

Amano frowned. "How?"

Aiyuri shook his head and chided him gently. "I can't tell you that. Now, will you escort Lady Hitomi home, please? Van and Kiosun will stay with me for a while."

Van moaned and sank to his feet. "The sun…" he whispered. Kiosun was shuddering and kept glancing over his shoulder.

Aiyuri checked the horizon and swore viciously. "Come on, let's go. Waving a quick goodbye at the three humans, he grabbed both vampires' arms and began running.

Before they had gone more than three blocks, a policeman began yelling at them. Aiyuri stopped and turned around. The officer was gaping at the swords and attempting to say something. Aiyuri winced and quickly made up a story.

"We're part of a _kabuki_ theater, they're just props. We're a little late for rehearsal. Could we please leave?" He looked almost winsome. The officer shrugged and waved them off, casting one more suspicious glance at the weapons. Aiyuri bowed slightly and started running again, dragging the confused, bewildered, and anxious vampires behind him.

Before long, they finally reached his apartment. He fiddled with the keys and got the door open, shoving Van and Kiosun through it as the first rays of dawn lit the horizon.

"Safe," Aiyuri panted. Van relaxed and looked around the apartment.

The room was like a dance studio. The far wall was covered in large mirrors and the floor was made of bamboo. The furniture—two couches, a small table, and a television set—were arranged in a semicircle around a large empty space, large enough to practice in. On the right was a door that seemed to lead to a kitchen. A set of cabinets adorned the wall on their left, and Aiyuri went to these immediately. Opening them, he withdrew two futons and set them in the middle of the floor with several blankets. Another blanket he threw on the near couch and gestured to them.

"You two can sleep on the futons, I'll sleep on the couch. I have to work tomorrow night, so I might be gone before you wake up. If there's anything you need during the day, don't hesitate to wake me up." As Aiyuri spoke, he began pulling bags out of the air, setting them on the ground by the couch. "Here are the clothes you bought."

Kiosun stared at him, amazed. "How in the—"

"Hitomi seems to have grabbed them when you ran out of the tower. She dropped them in the alley and I picked them up, knowing that you'd end up here." He gestured to the apartment. Kiosun shook his head and Aiyuri raised an eyebrow. "You weren't talking about the clothes?"

"No, I was talking about your little disappear-reappear trick. How do you do it?"

"It's a function connected with the pendants you were given. I don't know how it works, but my mother taught me what to do. Concentrate on the pendant, then imagine that what you're holding is bathed in red light. A red portal that only you can see will appear, and you can place the item inside. To get it back again, it is similar, but this time you imagine the red portal. It will appear again and you can look inside. When you see what you want, call it to your hand and draw it out. Simple, right?"

Though they were tired, Van and Kiosun both tried it. Van got it on the first try and put his sword, both daggers and a few of his new clothes inside. Kiosun managed it on his third try and did the same.

As Aiyuri watched them, he happened to glance in the mirrors on the far wall. His eyes widened and he began to chuckle. Before long he was nearly crying with laughter, collapsing on the couch as Van and Kiosun watched in puzzlement.

"It truly puzzles me why that cop let us go," he wheezed, waving his hand at the mirror. Van and Kiosun turned to look, then flushed guiltily.

Neither Van nor Aiyuri had shirts on. Van was still covered in scars and burns, though the burns were well on the way to being healed. His short black hair was mussed and his pants torn in places. His eyes were dark and it looked like he hadn't slept in a week. Aiyuri looked healthy, though his auburn hair was tangled. Kiosun would have been the most normal among them, except for two things. First, his shirt was almost rags, especially around the back and shoulders where his wings emerged. Second was his hair.

It was impeccable, and not a single strand was loose. The problem with that was the way it looked. His hair fell unbound to his waist, rippling waves of pure black. Sections of it he kept in small braids, using those to hold it all away from his face. At the end of the braids were glass beads in blood red and large black feathers, presumably from his wings.

Kiosun frowned. "Why do the Japanese words for "porn star" and "gay rock artist" keep popping in my head?" He demanded.

Aiyuri began to laugh again, joined this time by Van. Between bursts of what could have been giggles had Van and Aiyuri had been girls, Aiyuri managed to ask, "How do you keep your hair so perfect?"

Kiosun's eyes glittered mysteriously. "Magic," he said in a stage whisper. When he received twin raised eyebrows, he shrugged. "I have no idea." He grinned at the disappointed gazes. "Sorry, but I think it runs in the family."

Van stretched and winced as muscles protested. "Remind me not to jump out of tall buildings with half-healed wings," he muttered caustically, spreading his wings to survey the damage.

Kiosun shook his head. "I tried to, but you didn't let me finish." As Kiosun reviewed the scene, it suddenly hit him that if Aiyuri had not been below the tower at that time, and if he had not been a Draconian…Van would be dead. The full implications made him stagger, and his distress radiated from him in waves. Collapsing against a couch, he began to tremble helplessly, wrapping his arms around his knees. Within seconds, his body was wracked with sobs. Aiyuri stared in astonishment while Van stopped what he was doing.

"Kiosun, what's wrong?" Van asked, walking closer. Kiosun just shuddered and shook his head, warding off the awful visions of Van's broken body at the bottom of Tokyo Tower. Van sat down next to him, slipping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him closer. "Tell me," he urged gently. 

Kiosun turned to Van and relaxed in his loose embrace. Though still trembling, his heart wrenching sobs had ceased. After several minutes of silence, Van began to stroke Kiosun's hair, twisting the strands around his fingers and watching as they fell back into place. Kiosun finally spoke in a whisper. "I could have lost you. You might have died, and I couldn't do anything."

Van placed a finger under Kiosun's chin and gently drew it upwards. Finally, Kiosun met his eyes, sorrow and fear evident in his expression. Van bent slightly and softly kissed him on the lips. "I'm sorry, Kiosun. I saw Balgus and stopped thinking. I'm sorry that you worried."

Aiyuri studied the bamboo floor intensely, reluctant to intrude. When he next glanced at them, they were still staring into each other's eyes, completely lost to the world. Sighing philosophically and muttering about disgusting lovesick vampires, Aiyuri wrapped himself in a blanket and lay down on the remaining couch. The entire apartment was still, and Aiyuri cursed at the light filtering through his eyelids. Grabbing a pillow from one of the beds on the floor, he threw it at the light switch. The room suddenly darkened and startled noises came from the second couch. "If you want that pillow, get it yourself," Aiyuri mumbled, the waves of sleep already bearing him away.

Kiosun muttered something uncomplimentary about pillows in general and smiled as Van chuckled softly. Together the vampires slipped onto the futons on the floor, pulling the blankets up close. It was with relief that they snuggled together, secure in the knowledge that Aiyuri, at least, would not judge them based on preferences. Before Kiosun drifted off to sleep, he heard Van whisper something that roughly equated his chest with a pillow. Grinning, he pulled Van closer, pressing his lips against the pale forehead.

"Goodnight, love."


	11. Chapter 11

When they awoke, Aiyuri was gone. A note on the table reminded them that he was at work and they were more than welcome to stop by and hang out for a while.  
  
"Hang out?" Van asked. Kiosun shrugged, and continued to read.  
  
The note further mentioned some decent bars in the area that would be good for hunting, and warned them that Hitomi had called and might visit the apartment so 'be decent, at least'.   
  
The pair grinned and changed clothes after a brief, somewhat sweaty, delay. For a time, they relaxed in the apartment, but Kiosun soon grew bored.  
  
"Let's get something to eat," he suggested.   
  
Van shrugged. "Should we wait for Hitomi?"  
  
"Mm..." Kiosun said vaguely. "I'm hungry." He pouted, widening his eyes and looking quite pitiful. Van laughed and gave in.  
  
And so it was that two hours later they returned to the apartment, hunger satiated.  
  
"Now what?" Van leaned back on the couch and brushed out the last of the tangles from his hair. Kiosun was watching with slit eyes.  
  
"I don't know. Aiyuri should be back soon and Hitomi hasn't showed up..."  
  
Van frowned slightly and held two fingers to his temple. Ki walked over and gracefully collapsed next to Van. "What's wrong, love?"  
  
"This city is so big...all these people's thoughts keep intruding in my head, and I have a headache..." Van closed his eyes briefly.  
  
Ki murmered sympathetically and embraced Van, kissing each temple gently. "Try shielding, love. At least this time I know you have a reason..." Ki trailed off, hoping for an explanation of Van's earlier shield. To his disappointment, Van just nodded and raised a light shield, enough to keep out everyone but Kiosun.  
  
"Thank you," Van said softly, the faint line above his brow easing with the sudden cessation of pain.  
  
"Think nothing of it." Kiosun smiled and spread his senses across the surrounding area. Now he would know if anyone were near enough to be dangerous. To his curiosity, his senses seemed to encounter a huge force...a woman, the size of Tokyo? It was definitely feminine, and huge...and blue. It had a blue aura. Something seemed strange about this...was it something that Aiyuri mentioned? About the earth...  
  
Deciding to ponder it later, he put the blue woman aura out of his immediate senses and concentrated on the actual area nearby. A few children on the street, a busy housewife in the apartment next to theirs, and a young girl playing with dolls in the apartment across the street were the only people around. Judging them safe, Ki also scanned the entire city for Hitomi. She seemed to be about two blocks away, on her way to visit them. Inspiration flashed in his mind and he grinned wickedly.  
  
Time to put my plan into action...  
  
Van sat upright with wide, wary eyes. "What was that?"  
  
Kiosun didn't answer, instead folding Van in his arms.  
  
"Koibito..." he whispered before pressing his lips to Van's. Van said nothing, melting into Ki's embrace.  
  
Plan...? This was your plan?  
  
Van's mind voice was incredulous. Kiosun knew he was treading thin ice, since it was impossible to lie mind-to-mind.  
  
Part of it, anyway...  
  
Trailing off, he slipped his tongue into Van's mouth, hoping to sufficiently distract him from his questions. The ploy seemed to work, as Van moaned quietly and willingly submitted.  
  
Hitomi was now at the door, raising her hand to knock. Kiosun briefly shielded himself from Van, long enough to plant a suggestion and a memory in Hitomi's mind.  
  
Come on in, the door is open.  
  
Suddenly she remembered knocking, and it seemed to her that someone had called from inside. Shrugging, she opened the door as Kiosun dropped his shield.  
  
Van and Kiosun were both quite visible from the door, and it was obvious that they were kissing passionately.  
  
Hitomi gasped and Van jerked up. Guilty black eyes met startled blue, and Van flushed deeply.  
  
"I...I...umm..." Van sat up, slipping out of Kiosun's embrace. Kiosun was smirking, trying as hard as he could to keep from laughing. Van noticed and turned, anger apparent in his face.  
  
You knew about this!  
  
His mind voice snapped with bright red anger. Kiosun paused, knowing that his lover was now even more furious with him than he had been earlier.  
  
...Yes.  
  
He could not lie mind-to-mind, and did not even try. Van hissed savagely, and Kiosun recoiled.  
  
I did not mean for it to be like this! Why are you so angry?  
  
Van stood up and pointed at Kiosun. "You never think about the consequences of your actions! All you know is that you are jealous because an earth child might have a crush on me, and you decide to prove to her that she hasn't a chance. You may have just alienated her! We need allies in this strange country, but you seem determined to alienate us from everyone! You don't like Aiyuri very much, I can tell, and at times, you seem barely civil to him, although he got us these pendants and saved my life! The least you could do is show a little gratitude, but instead you ignore him and act like it's expected! Then you get this stupid plan to show Hitomi that I'm yours, and now she might hate us both! You are so impulsive, and you're never serious! You will get us both killed!" By the end of his diatribe, Van was shouting. Hitomi was still in the doorway, looking uncertain and scared. Kiosun remained on the couch, growing angrier with every word.  
  
"You think I'm impulsive? You jumped off Tokyo Tower to fly after the man you want to kill, putting your life in danger! If Aiyuri hadn't been there, you would have died! Is it a wonder that I don't like him? He saved you when I couldn't! I wanted to be your prince, your savior, your everything! Instead, that Draconian gets the glory and your thanks. Of course, I'm jealous! This new world is strange to me, and after fifty years as a vampire, I want to be certain of things! I don't like this danger, but I hate even more to rely on other people. I want to be certain of your love, but you seemed so caught up in Hitomi and Aiyuri that you didn't have time for me! Is it so much to ask for, a little bit of certainty? A small amount of caring? I love you, damn it, and I want to keep you safe! But in this world, others can do it better than I can, and I don't like feeling helpless." His voice softened and he angrily brushed away tears. "I love you, you crazy vampire. I do it for you."  
  
Van's anger dissipated. "I didn't know that was how you felt." He looked at his feet, avoiding Kiosun's eyes. "I didn't realize how powerless you felt..." He looked up suddenly, desperate. "You should know I love you! I prove it again and again! I abdicated my throne, left my best friend, my mentor, and my cousin, and I now live with you in that gorgeous mansion. I opened my heart to you and showed you my deepest fears. I became a vampire for you! Is it fair that you continue to doubt me?"  
  
"No. No, it's not fair. I'm sorry." Kiosun felt a great pressure release from his mind, and his head snapped up. Van had a similar reaction and their eyes met. The room turned blue and Hitomi froze.  
  
Literally, froze. She did not blink, she did not breathe, and she stopped in mid-step. Van and Kiosun exchanged confused glances. Sending out his senses, Ki quickly realized that everyone else in the apartments nearby had also frozen...except for the blue feminine aura.  
  
In the center of the small room, a woman appeared. She was beautiful; her skin was flawless, her features aristocratic, and her eyes slanted. Her body was perfectly proportioned, with a slender waist and curving hips. Though Kiosun had no interest in women, even he had to admit that she was aesthetically pleasing. She had dark skin and dark eyes, but her hair was a blonde so pale to seem almost white. She was surrounded by a blue aura, slightly darker than the aura that pervaded the room. Slowly she turned her icy features toward them.  
  
"You have passed the first test. There will be more."  
  
Kiosun edged toward Van slowly, then in a blur of motion was at his side. The woman's dark eyes followed his movement as if he stood still. "More tests?" Van asked her directly.  
  
"You are not from this earth. You have power. You are a threat to me. I test you to judge you...are you suited for this earth? Should I allow you to live? That is what these tests decide."  
  
"We passed the first test?" Kiosun narrowed his eyes. "What test?"  
  
"If you could control your anger."  
  
Van's eyes flashed dangerously. "You provoked that fight?"  
  
The woman nodded regally. "In a manner of speaking. Those feelings were inside you...I just magnified them."  
  
"Why are you telling us this?" Kiosun spoke this time, his voice heavy with suspicion.  
  
"You deserve to know. And I give you a choice. You may complete the remaining tests now, all at once, or later, one at a time. The longer you wait, the worse they become. I must find out if you are a threat to me and mine."  
  
A quick telepathic conversation took place, and both looked back at her. "We will face your tests now."  
  
The woman bowed her head. "Very well." A shard of ice appeared in each of her hands and she raised them slowly. Van and Kiosun tensed, ready to spring aside. Faster than human eyes could move, she flung her ice shards, one at Van and Kiosun, the other at the frozen Hitomi.  
  
To each of the young vampires, the other seemed frozen in fear. Ki made up his mind in a split second and dove for Hitomi, knocking her to the ground and taking the ice shard in his arm. Van, in his reality, threw himself in front of Kiosun, blocking the ice shard with his chest, blood dripping from his lips as it pierced his lung. The pain lasted for an eternity, then stopped completely. Van stared at his chest, flawless and unmarked by the ice shard. Slowly he glanced at Kiosun, prone on the floor in front of Hitomi, who was still standing and frozen. Kiosun picked himself up gingerly, examining his arm and finding it unwounded.  
  
"Interesting." The woman with the blue aura said. "One spares no thought to his own safety and protects his lover, while the other carries faith in his lover and protects the innocent bystander. Neither thinks first of protecting his own skin."  
  
She tilted her head and looked at Van. "Given a choice between staying here and going home, what would you take?"  
  
"That's easy, I'd go home-"  
  
"Would you? Would you go home? What if you knew that you were the only one who could go home? Kiosun, Aiyuri...both would remain behind. Would you still go?"  
  
Van hesitated. "Well, no, not without Kiosun...Aiyuri has resigned himself to this fate, and he can live with it...I think."  
  
The woman turned to Kiosun. "And you? Would you go home without Van and Aiyuri?"  
  
"No. Aiyuri longs for his home too, and I saw that when he took us to Neo-Atlantis. Van is my life, and I could not return home without him."  
  
"I see." The woman nodded to herself. "This is expected. Now, the true test..."  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Van gasped as the world dropped out from under him. He landed heavily in a field, hands flailing for balance. The field was full of flowers and grass, waving in a stiff breeze. Sensing danger, Van summoned his sword from the pendant and spread his wings, ready for fight or flight. (Pun intended ^_~)  
  
The breeze grew harsh, then disappeared completely, leaving a heavy figure in its wake. "Balgus!" Van exclaimed. His mentor looked up with a horrible expression.  
  
"You," he snarled. "Traitor! Just like your brother!"  
  
"No," Van protested. "It's not like that, I had no choice!"  
  
"There is always a choice! You abandoned your responsibilities and ran away to live with another man." Balgus' voice dripped with disgust. "I protected your throne for years, I would have given my life to see you rule. After all my hard work, you walk away! Your cousin showed up at my door with a report that you'd been killed fighting dragons! He said that when you visited him, you told him to rule in your place if you disappeared. You staged your death and fled your responsibilities. I suppose I should have expected it," he remarked bitterly. "Your mother had bad blood in her, and it looks like you followed in her footsteps."  
  
The irony caused a smile to tease Van's lips. "Bad blood..." he repeated. "I guess you could say that."  
  
"You betrayed me!" Balgus roared. "I taught you everything I knew about swords, about fighting, about ruling, and you betrayed me! Now, you die!"  
  
Balgus charged, swinging his massive sword with a vengeance. Van stumbled back and blocked it desperately. Balgus attacked again, his eyes mad, and again Van barely blocked the blow. The fight then began in earnest, Van returning blow for blow but never landing one.  
  
The fight was even; Balgus had experience and quite a few tricks, but Van had vampiric reflexes and speed, and a greater agility. Faster and faster, they fought, strike after strike deflected and returned. Finally, Van saw an opening in Balgus' defense, a place where if he were to strike, it would be fatal and Balgus would be unable to block him in time.  
  
Do I take the opening? Can I kill my mentor?  
  
Memories of seventeen years flashed through his mind, memories of when Balgus stood up for him, taught him how to fight, showed him how to rule. Balgus giving soldiers extra duties in retribution for gossiping about Folken...Balgus giving Van his first horse...Balgus, always strong and courageous, though sometimes stubborn. Could he really kill the man who raised him?  
  
His hesitation cost him. Balgus used his moment of distraction and struck hard, shoving his sword through Van's heart. Van tasted blood on his lips and looked up at his mentor. Balgus looked down at him with tears in his eyes. "You betrayed me," he whispered, anguished. Van closed his eyes and surrendered to the darkness, feeling his heart beat one last time...  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~   
  
Kiosun woke slowly, his mind gradually surfacing from darkness. He was in a familiar bed...very familiar. He was back in the bed he spent his childhood in, the bed in his father's castle.  
  
But that's impossible...I've been away for years, I'm sure they would have gotten rid of my bed by now.  
  
The door to his chamber opened and his old nursemaid bustled in, kneeling before the fire and adding wood to the coals. Within moments, she had a blaze going and the room warmed up. Kiosun was too stunned to speak, instead watching wide-eyed. The woman looked up, looking exactly as she had fifty years ago. Her eyes twinkled cheerfully at him as she spoke. "Is something the matter, young master?"  
  
Vaguely he shook his head. "No...no, nothing is wrong." The words felt strange in his mouth and he ran his tongue over his teeth. Where his super sharp canines should be, he had normal, if slightly elongated teeth. Quickly he took assessment of his body.  
  
Eyes, strength, teeth, and all my other senses...they're just as they were before my change!  
  
"Nana?" he looked at her, eyes lost. She glanced at him, then sat on his bed.  
  
"Aye?"  
  
"What day is it? What year?"  
  
She frowned at him. "Are you ill, young master?" she asked, concerned. When he shook his head, she told him the date.  
  
"As I feared..." he said softly. She looked at him quizzically. He refused to speak more and stood up, pulling clothes from his wardrobe and dressing quickly. Nana watched him, her expression changing from mere confusion to complete bewilderment.  
  
"Young master? Kiosun, what is wrong?"  
  
"What do you mean? Nothing is wrong." He hesitated, hating to lie to his old nursemaid.  
  
She shook her head stubbornly. "There is definitely something wrong. You have changed..."  
  
He stared at the floor, pulling on a leather glove. "Changed how?" he asked softly.  
  
"Young master...for as long as I have known you, you never once managed to match your outfit."  
  
He flushed guiltily. She was right...before he had changed, he'd been just slightly color-blind, and had been unable to color-coordinate anything. After he'd changed, he'd had to get used to picking colors in the dark, which was very similar to being color-blind. Fifty years of practice had perfected that, and while he had no idea what was going on now, he had picked a matching outfit without problem.  
  
"Nana...I..." He shrugged helplessly.  
  
She muttered something and rubbed her joints, which pained her on rainy days. Speaking louder, she said, "'Tis no matter. You have an audience with your father today to greet some foreign merchants." He nodded in understanding and left the room. Stopping outside his door, he realized something.  
  
Shit...fifty years of being away from this place...and I can't remember where to go.  
  
"Nana?"  
  
"Yes?" She stood behind him carrying ashes from the fireplace.  
  
"...Could you please take me to the reception room?"  
  
She gaped at him. Suspicion rose and she studied him carefully. Finally, she nodded and led the way to the reception room.  
  
His father stood in front of his chair. The duchy manor was not large, and the lands that they owned were few, but it was a prosperous land and the people considered his father a king. His chair was carefully made by the people, hand carved, and it generally resembled a throne. Kiosun smiled in fondness at the powerful man in front of him and crossed the room to his own chair, far less grand than his father's but made with just as much respect. His father heard him and turned, smiling.  
  
"Kiosun!" They embraced and sat down. The young foster child in training as a page opened the grand doors and announced the guests.  
  
"Merchant Jamey from Fanalia and his daughter, Sara." He announced in a clear treble voice.  
  
Fanalia? I never noticed that before.  
  
Suddenly time stopped. Kiosun was looking at himself from the end of a long corridor, looking at his seventeen-year-old self sitting in his chair as he was introduced to the woman that changed his life forever. All along the corridor were doors, unmarked and foreboding, but at the end of the corridor was an open door, through which he was watching himself. The blue aura pervaded the corridor and the Tokyo-woman was standing next to him.  
  
"Do you understand, Kiosun?" she asked softly, a smile playing on her lips.  
  
"No." He answered honestly, but his voice trembled.  
  
"I am giving you a choice. Your life was Hell, and it all started right there. I have the power to manipulate time, and I have used that to place you here. Would you like to hear your choices?"  
  
He nodded, not trusting his voice.  
  
"Behind each of these doors is a major event in your life. The one at the end of the corridor was your meeting with Sara. Behind that door, your meeting with Angelique. And there-" she pointed at the door at the opposite end of the hall, "that was your meeting with Van. Right now, only that end door is open, because I am giving you the chance to change your life."  
  
"How?" he asked, curious.  
  
"Here is your choice. I will let you change that point in your life. For one day and one night, you will have that body with all your memories intact. You may change whatever you wish during that time...you may run away, searching for a vampire to change you. You may spurn Sara and suicide. You may do anything you wish to change that point in history. After that day and that night, you will forget your previous life and continue as you would if you were still seventeen."  
  
He stared at her in wonder. "You can do that?"  
  
"Yes. However, I said you would have a choice. You may change your life...or you may return to where you were, on earth."  
  
He hesitated. "Could I have time to think about it?"  
  
"All the time in the world. When you are through thinking, call me and I will grant your wish." She disappeared.  
  
He leaned against a door and curiously tried the doorknob. It was locked, as he expected. Glancing at the end door, he saw his body, still frozen in time.  
  
"Choices..." he whispered to himself. "All of life is choices. How do you make the right ones?"  
  
If he did change his life...  
  
I could tell my father the truth. I could find a different vampire to change me, and I wouldn't be raped. I could go to Neo-Atlantis and live with my mother...  
  
He shook his head, agonizing.  
  
To give up all my memories...I've lived for fifty-seven...no, fifty-eight years. Through that time...  
  
He'd been raped, abandoned, and vampire bond-broken. He'd been hunted by villagers and priests, nearly killed, and had to start over completely.  
  
And yet...  
  
He had lived with Angelique and Laike. He had helped Angelique and Folken find each other, raised horses on that farm, traveled widely across Gaea and greatly reduced the bandit population. He had watched Van for twelve years, yearning and finally gaining.  
  
So, do I change the Hell I've been through at the sake of losing everything I worked for?  
  
Suddenly he realized something important. "It's not me I should think about," he said out loud. "What about the people I helped? The money I gave to peasants for taxes, the bandits I killed to protect everyone? If I change things now...I might not ever do those things, help those people. But I hurt people too...my father and foster mother, my best friend...they all suffered because of what I became. And the people I killed when I learned how to be Vampire...they were all innocent. I could change that...I could change their lives. I could reconcile with my father, admit everything about me...Van would be fine, another vampire would find him and change him if I could not." The last thought made him uneasy, but he had more to think about that just his happiness. Van would find someone else, surely.  
  
For a few minutes, visions of love and peace floated through his head. He would live with his father, at peace with what he became. He could change everything.  
  
"Tokyo woman?" he called out tentatively. She appeared in front of him.  
  
"You have decided?"  
  
"I have."  
  
"What will it be?"  
  
The echoes of his answer rebounded down the hall as time resumed and his other form looked at him, eyes widening slightly. Kiosun bowed his head as he was surrounded in blue light and several tears leaked from his eyes. "I only hope I chose right..." he whispered. 


End file.
